GOB MOVES FORWARD WITH LABOR UNION REFORMS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000057

SIPDIS

NEA/ARPI, DRL FOR JOSEPH DEMARIA
USTR FOR LEWIS KARESH, JASON BUNTIN
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FOR PETER ACCOLA AND SUDHA HALEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2016
TAGS: ELAB PREL BA HUMRIT
SUBJECT: GOB MOVES FORWARD WITH LABOR UNION REFORMS

REF: 05 MANAMA 1325

Classified By: DCM Susan L. Ziadeh, 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) Ministry of Labor Senior Labor Relations Specialist
Ahmed Al-Khabaz told Emboff January 3 that the Cabinet has
referred to Parliament revisions to the Trade Union Law
allowing the formation of more than one union per
organization. Labor Minister Dr. Majeed Al-Alawi had
referred the issue to the Cabinet September 2005, but the
Cabinet has only now acted on the measure (reftel).


2. (C) Ministry of Cabinet Affairs Director of Legal Affairs
Dr. Jameel Al-Alawi told Econoff January 5 that the Cabinet
had delayed referring to Parliament this measure and one
allowing more than one trade union federation, pending ILO
consultations. (Note: The General Federation of Bahrain
Trade Unions (the Federation) is currently Bahrain's sole
union federation. End note.) However, after the ILO failed
to respond to repeated GOB requests for consultations on the
issue, the Cabinet concluded that time for deliberation had
run out. He explained that the Cabinet believed ILO
intervention would have been beneficial because the
Federation opposes changes that would dilute the influence of
the organization and its constituent unions.


3. (U) Local daily Al-Wasat quoted Labor Director Al-Khabaz
January 7 as saying the GOB will soon endorse the right of
government employees to form unions. He called on the
Parliament to ratify union-related ILO conventions that would
improve Bahraini labor relations.
MONROE