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Sri Lankan unions complain over freedom of association violations
26 October 2006
Several unions in Sri Lanka have lodged a complaint with the International Labour Organization (ILO), claiming the government is in breach of their right to freedom of association, following a court ruling suspending legitimate industrial action.
The complainants, among them two ITF-affiliated dockers’ unions, the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya and the Suhada Waraya Sewaka Sangamaya, put the issue to the ILO at the end of last month after a supreme court ordered legitimate industrial action to be called off and for police and the armed forces to be deployed to oversee the suspension. Employees of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) embarked on work to rule action in July this year after management refused to negotiate over a pay increment.
The court case against the unions was brought by a third party the Joint Apparel Association Forum, which uses the ports of the SLPA for the import and export of apparel and raw material.
Sri Lanka ratified ILO Conventions 87 and 98 on the freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining in 1995 and 1972 respectively.
Frank Leys, ITF Dockers’ Section secretary commented: “It appears that the judicial process is being used as a means to sidestep fundamental rights, which the government has agreed to protect. As such this should be a matter of concern for all workers.”
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