INTERNATIONAL LABOUR STANDARDS DEPARTMENT Working Paper No. 2 Labour relations in the public and para-public sector Bernard Gernigon Working papers are preliminary documents circulated to stimulate discussion and obtain comments International Labour Office Geneva 2007 Copyright © International Labour Organization 2007 First published 2007 Publications of the International Labour Office enjoy copyright under Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. Nevertheless, short excerpts from them may be reproduced without authorization, on condition that the source is indicated. For rights of reproduction or translation, application should be made to ILO Publications (Rights and Permissions), International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland, or by email: [email protected]. The International Labour Office welcomes such applications. 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(Working paper No. 2) ISBN: 9789221202318 International Labour Office public sector/labour relations/collective bargaining/joint consultation/trade union rights/right to strike/international labour standards/labour legislation/comment/developed countries/developing countries 03.04.7 Also available in French: Relations de travail dans le secteur public. Document de travail no.2 (ISBN 978-92-2- 220231-7), Genève, 2007 The designations employed in ILO publications, which are in conformity with United Nations practice, and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the International Labour Office concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. The responsibility for opinions expressed in signed articles, studies and other contributions rests solely with their authors, and publication does not constitute an endorsement by the International Labour Office of the opinions expressed in them. Reference to names of firms and commercial products and processes does not imply their endorsement by the International Labour Office, and any failure to mention a particular firm, commercial product or process is not a sign of disapproval. ILO publications can be obtained through major booksellers or ILO local offices in many countries, or direct from ILO Publications, International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland. Catalogues or lists of new publications are available free of charge from the above address, or by email: [email protected] Visit our website: www.ilo.org/publns Printed by the International Labour Office, Geneva, Switzerland Contents Page Chapter 1. Introduction...................................................................................................................... 1 The concept of the public service............................................................................................ 1 Labour relations and the public sector .................................................................................... 1 Public service................................................................................................................ 1 Public enterprises.......................................................................................................... 3 Chapter 2. ILO standards and principles ........................................................................................... 4 Recognition of the right to organize of workers in the public sector: Convention No. 87 ................................................................................................................. 4 Promotion of collective bargaining and applicability of Convention No. 98 to the public sector ................................................................................................................. 7 Collective agreements: Recommendation No. 91................................................................... 8 Settlement of disputes (voluntary conciliation and arbitration): Recommendation No. 92......................................................................................................... 9 Determination of terms and conditions of employment in the public service: Convention No. 151 and Recommendation No. 159 .............................................................. 9 Collective bargaining: Convention No. 154 and Recommendation No. 163.......................... 13 Principles of the Committee on Freedom of Association concerning collective bargaining in the public sector................................................................................ 15 Legal basis of the right to collective bargaining........................................................... 16 Workers covered by the right to collective bargaining................................................. 16 Representation of workers in the collective bargaining process................................... 17 Subjects covered by collective bargaining.................................................................... 17 Intervention by the public authorities in collective bargaining..................................... 19 Legislative follow-up of the outcome of collective bargaining .................................... 20 The right to strike: Position of the Committee of Experts and principles of the Committee on Freedom of Association ........................................................................ 21 Categories of public servants who may be denied the right to strike ........................... 21 Workers in essential services........................................................................................ 21 Compensatory guarantees in the event of the prohibition of strikes............................. 22 Minimum service .......................................................................................................... 23 Requisitioning orders and the hiring of workers during a strike................................... 24 Chapter 3. Other international standards........................................................................................... 26 Standards adopted in the context of the United Nations ......................................................... 26 Regional standards .................................................................................................................. 26 The Americas (OAS, MERCOSUR, NAFTA)............................................................. 26 Europe (Council of Europe, European Union) ............................................................. 27 WP-External-2007-11-0176-1-En.doc iii Chapter 4. National situations ........................................................................................................... 30 Argentina................................................................................................................................. 30 Canada..................................................................................................................................... 34 Finland .................................................................................................................................... 43 France...................................................................................................................................... 46 Japan........................................................................................................................................ 52 New Zealand ........................................................................................................................... 56 Philippines............................................................................................................................... 59 Senegal.................................................................................................................................... 63 South Africa ............................................................................................................................ 66 Spain........................................................................................................................................ 71 United Kingdom...................................................................................................................... 75 United States ........................................................................................................................... 79 Chapter 5. Major trends in labour relations in the public and para-public sector.............................. 87 A trend towards new methods of administration..................................................................... 87 The union movement remains important ................................................................................ 88 The trend towards co-determination of terms and conditions of work ..................................