Case No 2255 (Sri Lanka) - Complaint date: 18-MAR-03

The International Textile, Garment & Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF) on behalf of the Ceylon Mercantile Industrial and General Workers’ Union (CMU)

Allegations

The complainant alleges that the Guidelines for the Formation and Operation of Employees’ Councils issued by the Board of Investment (BOI) which is the overseeing public authority in free trade zones, hamper the creation of free and independent trade unions and prevent them from exercising the right to bargain collectively for five reasons: (a) they require trade unions and employees’ councils to compete for collective bargaining rights; (b) they do not guarantee free elections for employees’ councils; (c) they do not safeguard the independence of employees’ councils vis-à-vis the employer; (d) they provide employees’ councils with favourable treatment which could influence the choice of workers as to which organization they wish to represent them; and (e) they set up a special regime for the resolution of industrial disputes under the authority of the BOI instead of the competent labour authorities

Case No 2255 (Sri Lanka) - Complaint date: 18-MAR-03

The International Textile, Garment & Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF) on behalf of the Ceylon Mercantile Industrial and General Workers’ Union (CMU)

Allegations

Examination Actions