Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98) - Burundi (Ratification: 1997)

The Committee notes the Government’s report. It also notes the comments of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) received in August 2007, which refer to issues already examined and the fact that workers in the informal sector are deprived of trade union rights. The Committee notes the Government’s response to the 2006 comments of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Burundi (COSYBU) concerning the application of the Convention. The Committee urges the Government to send its observations in response to the comments of the ITUC.

Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention. Non-dissuasive nature of the sanctions established by the Labour Code for violations of Article 1 (protection of workers against acts of anti-union discrimination) and Article 2 (protection of employers’ and workers’ organizations against any acts of interference by each other) of the Convention. In its past comments, the Committee noted that, according to the Government, the provisions in question would be amended with the collaboration of the social partners. The Committee regrets that no amendments have been made to the legislation and, recalling the need to establish sufficiently dissuasive sanctions, hopes that the Government will be able to make the necessary amendments to the legislation in the near future. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of any progress achieved in this respect.

Article 4. Right of collective bargaining in practice. The Committee noted previously that there was only one collective agreement in Burundi. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, it is for the social partners to take the initiative to propose collective agreements and that in practice they limit themselves to concluding enterprise agreements of which there are many in para-public enterprises. The Committee recalls that, although nothing in the Convention places a duty on the Government to enforce collective bargaining by compulsory means with the social partners, this does not mean that governments should abstain from any measure whatsoever aiming to establish a collective bargaining mechanism. The Committee notes the launch of a capacity-building programme for the social partners and once again asks the Government to provide information on the precise measures adopted to promote collective bargaining, together with information of a practical nature on the situation with regard to collective bargaining and, in particular, to indicate the number of collective agreements concluded up to now and the sectors covered. The Committee hopes that the Government will be able to indicate substantial progress in its next report.

Article 6. Right of collective bargaining for public servants not engaged in the administration of the State. The Committee previously requested the Government to specify whether provisions that imply restrictions on the scope of collective bargaining for the public service as a whole are still in force in Burundi, particularly as regards the determination of wages, such as: (1) section 45 of Legislative Decree No. 1/23 of 26 July 1988, which provides that, following approval by the relevant ministry, the governing councils of public establishments set the level of remuneration for permanent and temporary posts and determine the conditions for appointment and dismissal; and (2) section 24 of Legislative Decree No. 1/24, which provides that governing councils of public establishments draw up staff regulations for personalized administrations subject to the approval of the competent minister. The Committee noted that, in its reply, the Government indicated that these provisions were still in force, but that, in practice, state employees participate in determining their terms and conditions of employment. According to the Government, they are aware of the right of collective bargaining, and this is the reason for the existence of agreements in the education and health sectors. In the case of public establishments and personalized administrations, the employees participate in the determination of remuneration as they are represented on the governing councils, and wage claims are submitted to the employer by enterprise councils or trade unions, with the competent minister only intervening to safeguard the general interest; in certain ministries, trade union organizations have obtained bonuses to supplement wages. The Committee once again asks the Government to take measures to align the legislation with practice and, in particular, to amend section 45 of Legislative Decree No. 1/23 and section 24 of Legislative Decree No. 1/24 so as to ensure that organizations of public servants and employees who are not engaged in the administration of the State can negotiate their wages and other terms and conditions of employment.