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Compilation of decisions of the Committee on Freedom of Association

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Trade union and employers organizations rights and civil liberties2

Rights of assembly and demonstration

Internal meetings of organizations, meetings in their premises and in relation to labour disputes

  1. Trade unions should be able to hold meetings without the need to communicate the agenda to the authorities, in accordance with the principle embodied in Article 3 of Convention No. 87, whereby organizations have the right freely to organize their activities without interference from the authorities.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2491Benin344349
  1. The right of occupational organizations to hold meetings in their premises to discuss occupational questions, without prior authorization and interference by the authorities, is an essential element of freedom of association and the public authorities should refrain from any interference which would restrict this right or impede its exercise, unless public order is disturbed thereby or its maintenance seriously and imminently endangered.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2456Argentina344278
2516Ethiopia348678
3032Honduras374418
Digest: 2006130
  1. The right to strike and to organize union meetings are essential aspects of trade union rights, and measures taken by the authorities to ensure the observance of the law should not, therefore, prevent unions from organizing meetings during labour disputes.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2912Chile368227
Digest: 2006131
  1. Freedom of assembly and freedom of opinion and expression are a sine qua non for the exercise of freedom of association.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2723Fiji362839
  1. Where a representative of the public authorities can attend trade union meetings, this may influence the deliberations and the decisions taken (especially if this representative is entitled to participate in the proceedings) and hence may constitute an act of interference incompatible with the principle of freedom to hold trade union meetings.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2723Fiji362839
2723Fiji365775
3032Honduras378393
Digest: 2006132
  1. The Committee considered that a provision of a regulation concerning the presence of a Ministry representative at meetings of the general assembly of a trade union or an employers organization posed a serious risk of interference by the public authorities.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2988Qatar376140

Public meetings and demonstrations

  1. Workers should enjoy the right to peaceful demonstration to defend their occupational interests.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
311378625
3123378625
1865Republic of Korea340764
2323Iran (Islamic Republic of)342691
2508Iran (Islamic Republic of)3501104
2508Iran (Islamic Republic of)354921
2554Colombia350505
2616Mauritius3511011
2680India355883
2680India36766
2743Argentina367160
2753Djibouti363483
2765Bangladesh360289
2765Bangladesh368200
2902Pakistan3651121
3024Morocco372427
3025Egypt372152
3059Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)375661
3070Benin375113
3082Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)375692
3100India377377
3171Myanmar378489an
para.378625
Digest: 2006133
  1. The right to organize public meetings constitutes an important aspect of trade union rights. In this connection, the Committee has always drawn a distinction between demonstrations in pursuit of purely trade union objectives, which it has considered as falling within the exercise of trade union rights, and those designed to achieve other ends.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2672Tunisia3561276
Digest: 2006134
  1. Protests are protected by the principles of freedom of association only when such activities are organized by trade union organizations or can be considered as legitimate trade union activities as covered by Article 3 of Convention No. 87.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
Digest: 2006135
  1. Trade union organizations should conduct themselves responsibly and respect the peaceful manner in which the right of assembly should be exercised.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2562Argentina349404
2602Republic of Korea350682
2602Republic of Korea355662
  1. The right to organize public meetings and processions, particularly on the occasion of May Day, constitutes an important aspect of trade union rights.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2323Iran (Islamic Republic of)342686
2585Indonesia349891
2711Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)3571180
2812Cameroon362391
2862Zimbabwe3641141
Digest: 2006136
  1. The holding of public meetings and the voicing of demands of a social and economic nature on the occasion of May Day are traditional forms of trade union action. Trade unions should have the right to organize freely whatever meetings they wish to celebrate on May Day, provided that they respect the measures taken by the authorities to ensure public order.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2591Myanmar3491091
2812Cameroon362391
2949Eswatini3671219
Digest: 2006137
  1. A demonstration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Convention No. 87 falls within the exercise of trade union rights.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
Digest: 2006138
  1. A procession to request the implementation of the recommendations of the Committee on Freedom of Association falls within the exercise of trade union rights.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2512India37641
  1. Trade union rights include the right to organize public demonstrations. Although the prohibition of demonstrations on the public highway in the busiest parts of a city, when it is feared that disturbances might occur, does not constitute an infringement of trade union rights, the authorities should strive to reach agreement with the organizers of the demonstration to enable it to be held in some other place where there would be no fear of disturbances.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2562Argentina349404
Digest: 2006139
  1. The authorities should resort to the use of force only in situations where law and order is seriously threatened. The intervention of the forces of order should be in due proportion to the danger to law and order that the authorities are attempting to control and governments should take measures to ensure that the competent authorities receive adequate instructions so as to eliminate the danger entailed by the use of excessive violence when controlling demonstrations which might result in a disturbance of the peace.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
1865Republic of Korea346779
2323Iran (Islamic Republic of)342671
2382Cameroon34933
2413Guatemala340903
2512India37641
2528Philippines3511236
2530Uruguay3481193
2540Guatemala348819
2554Colombia350505
2562Argentina349404
2566Iran (Islamic Republic of)351982
2598Togo3511353
2609Guatemala368475
2702Argentina367151
2812Cameroon362396
2824Colombia378157
2882Bahrain364290
3024Morocco372427
3076Maldives376748
3100India377377
Digest: 2006140
  1. The requirement of administrative permission to hold public meetings and demonstrations is not objectionable per se from the standpoint of the principles of freedom of association. The maintenance of public order is not incompatible with the right to hold demonstrations so long as the authorities responsible for public order reach agreement with the organizers of a demonstration concerning the place where it will be held and the manner in which it will take place.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2616Mauritius3511011
2672Tunisia3561276
2812Cameroon362389
Digest: 2006141
  1. Permission to hold public meetings and demonstrations, which is an important trade union right, should not be arbitrarily refused.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2616Mauritius3511012
2672Tunisia3561276
2723Fiji362839
2723Fiji365775
2723Fiji378264
2812Cameroon362391
Digest: 2006142
  1. Although the right of holding trade union meetings is an essential aspect of trade union rights, the organizations concerned must observe the general provisions relating to public meetings, which are applicable to all. This principle is contained in Article 8 of Convention No. 87, which provides that workers and their organizations, like other persons or organized collectivities, shall respect the law of the land.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2706Panama367946
2925Democratic Republic of the Congo371923
3024Morocco372427
Digest: 2006143
  1. Workers organizations should respect legal provisions on public order and abstain from acts of violence in demonstrations.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2564Chile349611
  1. Trade unions must conform to the general provisions applicable to all public meetings and must respect the reasonable limits which may be fixed by the authorities to avoid disturbances in public places.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
1865Republic of Korea346778
2546Philippines3491215
2616Mauritius3511012
2616Mauritius351
2680India355883
3025Egypt372152
Digest: 2006144
  1. The right to hold trade union meetings cannot be interpreted as relieving organizations from the obligation to comply with reasonable formalities when they wish to make use of public premises.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
Digest: 2006145
  1. The principles of freedom of association do not protect abuses consisting of criminal acts while exercising protest action.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2743Argentina376164
  1. It is for the government, which is responsible for the maintenance of public order, to decide whether meetings, including trade union meetings, may, in particular circumstances, endanger public order and security, and to take any necessary preventive measures.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
Digest: 2006146
  1. Trade unions should respect legal provisions which are intended to ensure the maintenance of public order; the public authorities should, for their part, refrain from any interference which would restrict the right of trade unions to organize the holding and proceedings of their meetings in full freedom.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2323Iran (Islamic Republic of)342686
2548Burundi349535
2912Chile368227
Digest: 2006147
  1. The obligation on a procession to follow a predetermined itinerary does not constitute a violation of trade union rights.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
Digest: 2006148
  1. A time restriction placed by legislation on the right to demonstrate is not justified and may render that right inoperative in practice.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
Digest: 2006149
  1. In general, the use of the forces of order during trade union demonstrations should be limited to cases of genuine necessity.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2570Benin350269
2672Tunisia3541140
2711Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)3571181
2753Djibouti363483
2765Bangladesh360289
2765Bangladesh368200
2812Cameroon362395
Digest: 2006150
  1. The police authorities should be given precise instructions so that, in cases where public order is not seriously threatened, people are not arrested simply for having organized or participated in a demonstration.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2508Iran (Islamic Republic of)3501104
2508Iran (Islamic Republic of)354921
2711Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)3571181
2753Djibouti363483
3100India377377
Digest: 2006151

International trade union and employers organizations meetings

  1. Trade union meetings of an international character may give rise to special problems, not only because of the nationality of the participants, but also because of the international policy and commitments of the country in which these meetings are to take place. As a result of such commitments, the government of a particular country may consider it necessary to adopt restrictive measures on the grounds of certain special circumstances prevailing at a particular time. Such measures might be justified in exceptional cases, having more regard to specific situations, and provided they conform to the laws of the country. However, it should never be possible to apply measures of a general nature against particular trade union organizations unless in each case sufficient grounds exist to justify the government decision, such as genuine dangers which may arise for the international relations of a State or for security and public order. Otherwise, the right of assembly, the exercise of which by international organizations should also be recognized, would be seriously restricted.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
Digest: 2006152
  1. Participation by trade unionists in international trade union meetings is a fundamental trade union right and governments should therefore abstain from any measure, such as withholding travel documents, that would prevent representatives of workers organizations from exercising their mandate in full freedom and independence.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2722Botswana357263
2753Djibouti363482
Digest: 2006153
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