While the first bill includes a ban on combining trade union responsibility with affiliation to political parties, the strike bill prohibits the start of any labour strike before the means of dialogue, reconciliation and arbitration have been exhausted, with at least 5 days notice, provided that a general assembly of workers takes over the approval of the strike.
The law threatens trade unions that carry out strikes that do not respect these legal procedures with dissolution and suspension of activity. The law also prevents striking workers and trade unions from occupying workplaces or institutions. It also allows the authorities to temporarily prevent strikes and resort to imposing forced labour for workers in certain sectors and in certain circumstances. An expanded bloc of 13 independent trade unions announced its rejection of the bill and called for their withdrawal.
Unions warned against prejudice to union rights, imposing impossible conditions regarding the right to strike, and withdrawing protection from exercising it. At the same time, the unions criticized the government’s resort to unilaterally drafting these laws without involving the social partners.
#Algeria #Bill #Trade_unions
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