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TUC condemns arrests of trade unionists on May Day in Swaziland.

Issue date

The TUC, in a letter to the Swaziland High Commission with copy to Guy Ryder, Director-General of ILO and Mark Simmonds MP, Minister for Africa, has condemned the arrests of trade unionists on 1st May -International Labour Day - in Manzini and Mbabane, Swaziland.

Her Excellency Mrs Dumsile T Sukati
High Commissioner

Kingdom of Swaziland High Commission

20 Buckingham Gate

London SW1E 6LB

Dear High Commissioner

The TUC General Council join me in expressing our outrage over the arrest of trade unionists on 1st May 2013 - International Labour Day - in Manzini and Mbabane.

We have learnt that Mr Barnes Dlamini, President, and Mr Mduduzi Gina, first Deputy General Secretary, of the Trades Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) were arrested this morning during a raid of their offices. Prior to this incident, Mr Vincent Ncongwane, Secretary General, Mr Muzi Mhlanga, second Deputy Secretary-General and Mr Jabulile Shiba, Deputy Treasurer-General of the federation were placed under house arrest in Mbabane.

As we have pointed out to you on a number of occasions in the past, the arrests of trade unionists over activities pertaining to the exercise of their legitimate rights are a gross violation of the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Moreover, your country, which ratified Convention 98(1978) and Convention 87 (1978), is obliged to observe the workers' rights enshrined in them. The excesses committed by the Swazi police at the instigation of the authorities in crass disregard for the respect for workers' rights, do not, in our view, bode well for your Government's efforts to promote social dialogue and industrial peace. You may also recall that the ILO Committee on the Application of Standards (CAS) has also pointed to serious breaches of ILO conventions relating to fundamental rights at work in recent years.

We urge you to use your influence with your government to ensure the immediate release of the colleagues concerned and allow them to exercise their legitimate democratic rights without any interference from the state.

Yours sincerely

FRANCES O'GRADY

General Secretary

Cc Mark Simmonds MP, Minister for Africa

Cc Guy Ryder, Director-General, ILO

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