LABOUR RELATIONS

CHAPTER 54:01
LABOUR RELATIONS

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

    SECTION

PART I
PRELIMINARY

    1.    Short title

    2.    Interpretation

    3.    Application

PART II
FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION

    4.    Freedom of association

    5.    Rights of trade unions and employers’ organizations

    6.    Protection of employees

    7.    Protection in respect of organizations

    8.    Remedies

PART III
TRADE UNIONS AND EMPLOYERS’ ORGANIZATIONS

    9.    Appointment of Registrar and Assistant Registrars

    10.    Register

    11.    Registration

    12.    Effect of registration

    13.    Rules of registered trade unions and employers’ organizations

    14.    Alteration of rules

    15.    Change of name

    16.    Amalgamation

    17.    Deposit and safeguard of funds

    18.    Annual return

    19.    Retention of documents

    20.    Disqualification for office

    21.    Cancellation of registration

    22.    Reasons for decisions

    23.    Remedies

    24.    Appeals

PART IV
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND ORGANIZATIONAL RIGHTS

    25.    Enterprise-level bargaining

    26.    Sectoral-level bargaining

    27.    Establishment of industrial councils

    28.    Composition of industrial councils

    29.    Meetings of industrial councils

    30.    Functions of industrial councils

    31.    Duty to negotiate in good faith

    32.    Terms of collective agreements

    33.    Enforceability of collective agreements

    34.    Submission of collective agreements

    35.    Access to employer’s premises

    36.    Trade union subscriptions

    37.    Leave for trade union activities

    38.    Disclosure of information

    39.    Successor rights and obligations

    40.    Right to choose a representative

    41.    Review of thresholds

PART V
DISPUTE SETTLEMENT

    42.    Definition of dispute

    43.    Reporting of disputes

    44.    Conciliation procedure

    45.    Unresolved disputes

    46.    Strike or lockout procedures

    47.    Strike or lockout in essential services

    48.    Status of collective agreement and employment contract

    49.    Civil immunity

    50.    Right to return to employment

    51.    Temporary replacement of labour

    52.    Refusal to do strikers’ work

    53.    Peaceful picketing

    54.    Injunction in respect of strike or lockout

PART VI
TRIPARTITE LABOUR ADVISORY COUNCIL

    55.    Establishment of the Council

    56.    Officers of the Council

    57.    Term of office

    58.    Functions of the Council

    59.    Meetings of the Council

    60.    Quorum

    61.    Procedure

    62.    Allowances and expenses

PART VII
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COURT

    63.    Constitution and operation of the Industrial Relations Court

    64.    Jurisdiction

    65.    Appeals

    66.    Composition

    67.    Sitting and decision

    68.    

    69.    Appointment of officers and staff

    70.    

    71.    Procedure and evidence

    72.    Costs

    73.    Representation of parties

    74.    Failure to attend

    75.    Enforcement of orders

PART VIII
MISCELLANEOUS

    76.    Procedures

    77.    Notification of registration, etc., in the Gazette

    78.    Regulations

    79.    Repeal and savings

16 of 1996
1 of 2012
16 of 2021
G.N. 69/1997

    An Act to promote sound labour relations through the protection and promotion of freedom of association, the encouragement of effective collective bargaining and the promotion of orderly and expeditious dispute settlement, conducive to social justice and economic development

PART I
PRELIMINARY

1.    Short title

    This Act may be cited as the Labour Relations Act.

2.    Interpretation

    (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

    “collective agreement” means a written agreement between an employer, or an employers’ organization authorized by the employer, and a trade union concerning terms and conditions of employment and any other matter of mutual interest;

    “Council” means the Tripartite Labour Advisory Council appointed under section 55;

    “employee” means—

    (a)    a person who offers his or her services under an oral or written contract of employment, whether express or implied;

    (b)    a person who performs work or services for another person for remuneration or reward on such terms and conditions that he or she is in relation to that person in a position of economic dependence on, and under an obligation to perform duties for that person more closely resembling the relationship of employee than that of an independent contractor; and

    (c)    where appropriate, a former employee;

    “employer” means any person or undertaking, corporation, company, public authority or body of persons who or which employs an employee, and includes the heirs, successors and assigns of an employer;

    “employers’ organization” means any combination established by employers, the principal purposes of which are the representation and promotion of employers’ interests and the regulation of relations between employers and employees;

    “essential services” means services, by whomsoever rendered, and whether rendered to the Government or to any other person, the interruption of which would endanger the life, health or personal safety of the whole or part of the population;

    “Industrial Relations Court” means the Industrial Relations Court established under section 110 (2) of the Constitution;

    “lockout”…