GENEVA (ILO News) ─ The Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) elected H.E. Mr. Dayan Jayatilleka, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva, as Chairman for its 2007-08 Session.
The 299th Session of the Governing Body also considered a range of other business, including a report of the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association.
Mr. Jayatilleka replaces Mr. Mdladlana, Minister of Labour of the Republic of South Africa, who served as Governing Body Chairman during the 2006-07 Session. Mr. Jayatilleka has held positions as senior lecturer at the University of Colombo, political analyst and media commentator.
Daniel Funes de Rioja, President of the Social Policy Department of the Argentine Industrial Union and Chairman of the Employers’ Group of the Organization of American States from 1995 to 1998, was re-elected as Employer Vice-chairperson. Sir Leroy Trotman, General Secretary, Barbados Workers’ Union and spokesperson of the Workers’ Group in the Governing Body, was re-elected Workers’ Vice-chairperson.
The three will serve as Officers of the Governing Body during its 2007-08 Session. The Governing Body is the executive council of the ILO and meets three times annually in Geneva.
Freedom of association
The Governing Body also approved the 346th and 347th Reports of the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association. At its June meeting, the Committee examined 30 cases. Altogether there are currently 121 cases before the Committee.
The Committee drew special attention to the cases of Cambodia, Colombia and the Philippines because of their serious and urgent nature.
In the case of Cambodia, the Committee reached interim conclusions for the third time. It concerns the murder of trade union leaders Chea Vichea, President of the Free Trade Union of the Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC), Ros Sovannareth a steering committee member of the FTUWKC, and more recently, Hy Vuthy, leader of the FTUWKC in the Suntex garment factory as well as serious allegations of continuing repression of trade unionists.
The Committee strongly urged the Government to take measures in order to reopen the investigation into the murder of Mr. Vichea and to institute immediately independent judicial inquiries into the murders of Ros Sovannareth and Hy Vuthy. In the absence of any significant efforts on the part of the Government to thoroughly investigate the above matters in a transparent, independent and impartial manner, the Committee strongly suggested that the Government accept an ILO expert mission to carry out an investigation and thus assist the Government in redressing any violations of trade union rights.
The case of Colombia concerns acts of anti-union pressure and discrimination in the University of Córdoba, including threats by the vice-chancellor of the University and paramilitary commanders of the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC) to persuade the National Trade Union of University Workers of Colombia to renegotiate the collective agreement in force. In its interim conclusions, the Committee said that this was contrary to the principles of voluntary collective bargaining and the autonomy of the bargaining partners.
The Committee strongly urged the Government to take measures immediately to guarantee the safety of the threatened trade union officials and to have a truly independent investigation carried out without delay by a person who enjoys the confidence of both parties and, if these allegations are found to be true, to take the necessary measures to punish those responsible.
In the case of the Philippines, the Committee reached interim conclusions on allegations of killings, grave threats, continuous harassment and intimidation and other forms of violence inflicted on leaders, members, organizers, union supporters/labour advocates of trade unions and informal workers’ organizations. The Committee deplored the gravity of the allegations made in this case and the fact that more than a decade after the filing of the last complaint on similar allegations, inadequate progress has been made by the Government with regard to putting an end to killings, abductions, disappearances and other serious human rights violations.
The Committee requested the Government to keep it informed of the progress of the investigation to be carried out by a special joint fact-finding body concerning the killings of trade union leaders and members; to establish an independent judicial inquiry and proceedings before the competent courts as soon as possible with regard to the allegations of abductions and disappearances of trade union leaders; to ensure full implementation of the recommendations of the Independent Commission to Address Media and Activist Killings (Melo Commission). It also requested the Government to give adequate instructions to the law enforcement authorities so as to eliminate the danger entailed by the use of excessive violence when controlling demonstrations.
The Committee also dealt with two cases concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran and one case concerning the Republic of Korea.
The first longstanding case in the Islamic Republic of Iran concerned among others allegations of violent police repression of strikes, protests and the May Day 2004 rally in Saqez and the adoption of legislation that would restrict the trade union rights of a large number of workers.
The Committee deplored that heavy penal sentences were retained against Messrs. Salehi, Hosseini, Hakimi, Divangar and Abdlpoor for the organization of the 2004 May Day rally and requested the Government to ensure the immediate release of these trade unionists and to take steps to ensure that the charges brought against them are dropped. The Committee also requested the Government to institute independent inquiries into the alleged arrest of the leaders of the Teachers’ Guild Association, Messrs Langarudi and Zati in July 2004 and the allegations that the Intelligence Ministry interrogated, threatened and harassed Messrs. Amani, Zarei and Beheshti Zad.
The second case concerning Iran related to acts of harassment against members of the trade union of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company. The Committee noted with grave concern allegations concerning the attack on the union’s founding meeting on 9 May 2005 in which members of the Workers’ House and the company’s Islamic Shora wounded ten members of the founding committee including the trade union leader Mansour Osanloo who was arrested subsequently. The Committee urged the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure his immediate release and to drop all charges against him relating to the exercise of legitimate trade union activities.
The Committee also urged the Government to take all measures to ensure that trade unions can be formed and function without hindrance, including through their de facto recognition.
In the case of the Republic of Korea, the Committee reached interim conclusions in a case which dates as far back as 1996, and noted that although significant progress has been achieved in terms of legislation, important problems persist with regard to the respect of freedom of association principles in practice. The Committee called on all sides to exercise maximum restraint so as to avoid escalating violence and to undertake genuine dialogue.
The Committee also expressed deep regret at the gravity of new allegations involving serious acts of extensive interference in the activities of the Korea Government Employees’ Union (KGEU). While noting that the KGEU has refused to register under the relevant Act because it considers it not to be in line with freedom of association principles, the Committee requested the Government to immediately cease all acts of interference.
Finally, the Committee reminded the Government of its expressed willingness to ratify Conventions Nos. 87 and 98 made to the ILO high-level tripartite mission which visited the country in 1998 and reported to the Governing Body in March 1998.