Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Ratification: 2001)

The Committee had previously referred to the need to amend the following sections of the Trade Unions Act (TUA): section 11(3), so as to eliminate the discretionary authority of the registrar in respect of the registration of trade unions; and section 25, so as to limit the powers of the registrar to conduct investigations into the accounts of trade unions. The Committee recalls that, in its previous direct request, it had noted the Government’s indication that the new Labour Bill which, as previously stated, would repeal the abovementioned sections of the TUA, was still awaiting Cabinet’s approval. The Committee notes that the Government indicates in its report that, due to an absence of a functioning tripartite committee for the past two years and the request made by the St Vincent Employers’ Federation for further consultation on the draft Labour Relations Bill, the Government deferred taking any action until these matters have been appropriately addressed. The Committee further notes that the Government indicates that the tripartite committee has now been reactivated and a series of consultations will be held during the remainder of this year. The Committee once again expresses the hope that the Bill will be adopted in the near future and requests the Government to provide information in its next report on any development in this regard.