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Seizure of trade union premises in Albania

Issue date

Protest at the seizure of trade union premises in Albania

TUC open letter to the Albanian Ambassador:

His Excellency Mr Kastriot Robo
Embassy of the Republic of Albania
24 Buckingham Gate
London
SW1E 6LB
06 August 2007

Dear Ambassador

Seizure of trade union premises in Albania

On behalf of the British trade union movement, its 59 trade unions and 6.5 million members, I urge you to press your country's government to enable our sister trade union movements to resume their normal activities without delay.

We were shocked to learn of the expulsion of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania (KSSH) and the Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania (BSPSH) from their offices on 1 August; the manner in which this expulsion was carried out; and the breach of pledges made by your country's government that, had they been honoured, would have avoided an ugly event that has paralysed an important democratic institution in your country.

We understand that on the morning of 1 August the police entered the trade union offices at the Pallati Ali Kelmendi on Boulevard Zogu I Pare in Tirana and forcibly removed trade union property. This action was undertaken without prior notice and trade union staff were prevented from entering the building. Trade union property was damaged and documents were destroyed. I understand that while this was going on the trade unions attempted to liaise with the Government and the police authorities but that their efforts were to no avail.

I am aware that the police action was based on a court decision involving the restitution of property relating to previous regimes. Restitution is not the issue here. The issue is that the pursuit of this policy need not have involved the kind of behaviour displayed on 1 August. Other principles must also be respected. Among these are the international obligation of governments to refrain from any interference which would impede trade unions lawfully organising their administration and activities as well as the obligation of governments to ensure that trade unions are able to work in a climate free from fear and intimidation. There is no good reason to permit a situation where trade unions have no place to work and their documentation and equipment is seized, damaged or destroyed.

We understand that the dispute over the premises for trade unions is not new. In July 2006 the Minister of Justice confirmed the Government's commitment to find an alternative solution to a delegation of officials from the International Labour Organisation and the international trade union movement. This repeated a commitment made previously by the Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities that providing appropriate premises for the normal activity of trade unions had been and would remain a 'permanent commitment'.

We believe that these commitments reflected an appreciation of your country's international obligations and that they should have been followed through. But these commitments were not honoured, and Albanian workers suddenly have nowhere to go for the advice and support that they get from their trade union because their trade union has no office.

As you know Albania is scheduled to report on the application of Convention No. 87 to the International Labour Organisation by September. Failure to resolve this problem is likely to influence how this report is received.

I am copying this letter to Ministers in the UK Government and to Members of the European Parliament with an interest in this issue, and we will be making this letter public.

Please urge your country's government to find a swift and lasting solution to the need for trade union premises. I would be grateful if you could keep me informed of developments.

Yours sincerely

Frances O'Grady
Deputy General Secretary, TUC

Cc: Rt Hon David Miliband MP, Rt Hon Peter Hain MP, Claude Moraes MEP

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