Compilation of decisions of the Committee on Freedom of Association

Right to strike10

Situations in which a minimum service may be imposed to guarantee the safety of persons and equipment (minimum safety service)

1. Restrictions on the right to strike in certain sectors to the extent necessary to comply with statutory safety requirements are normal restrictions.

1. In one case, the legislation provided that occupational organizations in all branches of activity were obliged to ensure that the staff necessary for the safety of machinery and equipment and the prevention of accidents continued to work, and that disagreements as to the definition of necessary staff would be settled by an administrative arbitration tribunal. These restrictions on the right to strike were considered to be acceptable.