Author: International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)

Date: 1 September 2000.

Title: Equatorial Guinea: Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights (2000)

Original language: English.

Concerning: Labour and trade union rights.

Source: ICFTU

Basic trade union rights are denied. The government continues to deny unions official registration and there are no functioning trade unions. The security forces repress independent union activity. 

Union registration denied

The regime has refused to register the Union Sindical de Trabajadores de Guinea Ecuatorial (UST) founded in 1990, and consequently it is forced to carry out its activities clandestinely. 

Awareness raising activities carried out by the UST in the public sector led to the creation of the Sindicato Independiente de Servicios (SIS) which first applied for registration in early 1995. Although the application met all the requirements contained in the 1992 Trade Union Law, the authorities refused to register it, objecting to the word "independent" in the union's name. Subsequent applications in 1995 and in 1996 were also rejected.

In 1998 it was reported that a teachers’ trade union had been formed. The union said that it would apply for registration.

Police intimidation

Trade unionists said that immediately after they submitted applications for union registration, security officials visited their homes and intimidated them.

Political discrimination in employment

There continue to be reports that workers must be members of the ruling party to get jobs. In the oil industry, workers are hired to major companies such as Mobil, Nomeco, Suberger, Incat Dragadas, and Sogeco through government agencies. The agencies often deduct up to 70 per cent of the amount they are paid by the companies for the workers’ wages. The workers are also screened to ensure that they are sympathetic to the regime. The private sector is virtually non-existent in Equatorial Guinea.

Restrictive legislation

The law does not recognise the right to collective bargaining. There is no protection in the law against acts of anti-union discrimination. Strikes are prohibited.

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