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Compilation of decisions of the Committee on Freedom of Association

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Right to strike10

Importance of the right to strike and its legitimate exercise

  1. While the Committee has always regarded the right to strike as constituting a fundamental right of workers and of their organizations, it has regarded it as such only in so far as it is utilized as a means of defending their economic interests.
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Digest: 2006520
  1. The Committee has always recognized the right to strike by workers and their organizations as a legitimate means of defending their economic and social interests.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2528Philippines3461446
2552Bahrain349419
2566Iran (Islamic Republic of)351980
2589Indonesia353126
2602Republic of Korea355662
2602Republic of Korea363465
2696Bulgaria356306
2704Canada363399
2737Indonesia358636
2741United States of America362767
2803Canada360340
2829Republic of Korea365577
2841France3621036
2938Benin367227
2994Tunisia370735
2994Tunisia3761002
3057Canada374213
Digest: 2006521
  1. The right to strike is one of the essential means through which workers and their organizations may promote and defend their economic and social interests.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
1865Republic of Korea346780
2323Iran (Islamic Republic of)342695
2365Zimbabwe3421048
2471Djibouti344891
2473United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland3461532
2496Burkina Faso344407
2548Burundi349538
2581Chad3511329
2581Chad3541103
2602Republic of Korea350681
2696Bulgaria356306
2713Democratic Republic of the Congo3571101
2723Fiji362842
2723Fiji365778
2803Canada360340
3022Thailand372614
3107Canada377240
Digest: 2006522
  1. The right to strike is an intrinsic corollary to the right to organize protected by Convention No. 87.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2471Djibouti344891
2473United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland3461532
2506Greece3461076
2552Bahrain349419
2581Chad3541114
2838Greece3621077
Digest: 2006523
  1. Strikes are by nature disruptive and costly; strike action also calls for a significant sacrifice from those workers who choose to exercise it as a last resort tool and means of pressure on the employer to redress any perceived injustices.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
2829Republic of Korea365577
  1. It does not appear that making the right to call a strike the sole preserve of trade union organizations is incompatible with the standards of Convention No. 87. Workers, and especially their leaders in undertakings, should however be protected against any discrimination which might be exercised because of a strike and they should be able to form trade unions without being exposed to anti-union discrimination.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
Digest: 2006524
  1. The prohibition on the calling of strikes by federations and confederations is not compatible with Convention No. 87.
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Related CountryReportParagraph
Digest: 2006525
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