ILO calls for changes in the Ecuadorian labor legislation

A report from the Commission of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations of the International Labour Organization (ILO) makes a number of observations to the Ecuadorian labor legislation in relation with the Convention 87, relating to the freedom of association. The document contains several requests to the Government to change the law and ensure the rights of public employees; and in certain subjects it requests more information.

The Commission analyzed the comments submitted by the Public Services International (PSI), the National Union of Educators (UNE), the Inter Standing Committee (ICC), the International Organization of Employers (IOE) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), received on last September and the answers from the government.

In addition, the Commission refers to Article 2 of the Labor Code which speaks of the right of workers to establish organizations they deem appropriate and the impossibility of not establishing more than one trade union, in accordance with Article 326 of the Constitution.

Given this, the Government replied that the constitutional provision is intended that there is only one strong and solid organization, but the Commission recalls that this right implies that trade union pluralism should be possible in all cases.