January 31, 2012—In November 2011, the Governing Body of the International Labor Organization (ILO) agreed to a proposal to establish a tripartite committee to review the mass dismissal of Bahraini workers referred to in the complaint concerning the Non-Observance by Bahrain of the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958.

In a letter to the chair of that commission, the International Trade Union Confederation acknowledged progress in the public sector but expressed its serious concerns regarding the failure of employers, largely in state-owned companies, to reinstate many wrongfully dismissed workers or to rehire the workers only under completely unacceptable conditions. The very few trade union leaders reinstated had to agree not to carry out any further union activity.

“It is time for the committee to redouble its efforts and take all necessary measures in order to secure reinstatement of all illegally dismissed workers by the March 2012 Governing Body meeting,” said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow. “It is also unacceptable that many of the workers who have been reinstated were brought back to inferior posts or have been forced in many cases to agree to unacceptable conditions,” she added.

In addition, the ITUC points out that many trade unionists continue to face criminal prosecution for participating in strikes and demonstrations last year.

Cross-posted from ITUC Online, January 31, 2012