Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Gabon (Ratification: 1960)

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In its previous comments, further to the observations of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) relating to restrictions on the right to strike in the public sector on the repeatedly invoked grounds of ensuring public safety, the Committee asked the Government to provide detailed information on the number of strikes called in the public sector, the sectors concerned and the number of strikes prohibited on the grounds of a possible disruption of the public order.

Moreover, further to the observations received from Education International (EI) denouncing the adoption of various regulations which are making the exercise of trade union activities in the education sector increasingly difficult, the Committee requested the Government to indicate the measures taken in that sector to ensure that trade unions have access to educational establishments so that they can perform their representative functions and defend their members’ interests.

The Committee notes that according to the Government, only 12.34 per cent of school establishments across the entire national territory were affected during the unlimited general strike called in September 2021 by the National Congress of Education Sector Unions (CONASYSED) and the National Education Union (SENA). However, the Government adds that it is not able to provide the information requested by the Committee, since the collection and centralization of data is ongoing.

The Committee regrets the Government’s inability to provide the requested information, and reiterates its request with the hope that the Government will shortly be able to provide said information.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.