Standards and rights at work

There are several ILO conventions and corresponding recommendations relevant to the Public Service sector, which covers not only public administration but also various services being provided in the public or general interest, whether they are delivered publicly or privately.

The Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98), guarantee the basic workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively to all workers, including those in public services, but permit the exclusion of the police and the armed forces from their scope. In addition to these categories, high-level government employees whose functions are normally considered as policy-making or managerial, or employees whose duties are of a highly confidential nature, may also be excluded by national laws and regulations from the coverage of the Labour Relations (Public Service) Convention, 1978 (No. 151), which determines the terms and conditions of employment in the public service.

Relevant Conventions and their accompanying Recommendations of interest to the public services include:

• C94 - Labour Clauses (Public Contracts) Convention, 1949. Ratifications.
• C154 - Collective Bargaining Convention, 1981. Ratifications.
• R91 - Collective Agreements Recommendation, 1951.
• R92 - Voluntary Conciliation and Arbitration Recommendation, 1951.
• R159 - Labour Relations (Public Service) Recommendation, 1978.
• R163 - Collective Bargaining Recommendation, 1981.

National labour legislation (NATLEX database)

• National legislation dealing with the public service

Committee on Freedom of Association

• Cases related to the public service sector