Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98) - Seychelles (Ratification: 1999)

Articles 2, 4 and 6 of the Convention. Pending legislative matters. The Committee had previously expected that the legislation, particularly the Industrial Relations Act (IRA), would be amended in order to bring it into full conformity with the Convention concerning the protection against acts of interference by employers or their organizations in workers’ organizations and with respect to the recourse to compulsory arbitration in cases where the parties do not reach an agreement through collective bargaining. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that: (i) a tripartite validation workshop on legislative amendments was held on 14–15 October 2024; (ii) all stakeholders were then invited to further provide their comments or proposals by 31 December 2024; and (iii) it has the intention to finalize the amendment report for submission to the Cabinet of Ministers by the end of 2025. Recalling that it has been requesting the Government to take measures to amend several provisions of the IRA for many years, the Committee requests the Government to expedite the legislative review of the IRA in order to bring it into full conformity with the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the developments in this respect.

Promotion of collective bargaining in practice. The Committee recalls that it had requested the Government to provide information on: (i) the measures taken to promote collective bargaining across the different sectors of the economy; and (ii) the number of collective agreements concluded and in force, the sectors concerned, and the number of workers covered by these agreements. The Committee welcomes the Government’s indication that: (i) promotional material on collective bargaining was distributed during the workshops organized by a trade union in March and April 2025, wherein the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs (MESA) conducted a presentation on collective bargaining; and (ii) the MESA conducted a Social Dialogue Workshop facilitated by the ILO Social Dialogue Specialist on 22–23 August 2023. At the same time, the Committee notes with regret that no collective agreement has been concluded and in force in Seychelles as of the date of the submission of the Government’s report. The Committee therefore encourages the Government to intensify its efforts to promote collective bargaining across the different sectors of the economy and requests the Government to continue providing information on the developments in respect of collective agreements concluded and in force in the country. It reiterates that the Government can continue to avail itself of ILO technical assistance in this regard.