By Fahad Al Ghadani — MUSCAT: April 16 - A total of 20 Omani trade unions were deregistered by the Ministry of Manpower for failing to elect the stipulated number of members to their administrative committees. The action was taken vide Ministerial Decision 143/2017 issued by Shaikh Abdullah bin Nasser al Bakri, Minister of Manpower.
The formation of trade unions is set out in Ministerial Decision 570 issued by the ministry in 2012, outlining the terms for the establishment, registration and operation of labour syndicates, trade unions and the apex General Federation of Omani Trade Unions.
It stipulates that a trade union can be formed by any private sector organization which has 25 or more employees on its rolls. Once registered, the trade union assumes an independent legal identity.
In addition to having at least 25 employees as members, the trade union is eligible for registration after it adopts a draft constitution and submits other documents specified in Article 5.
Trade unions with less than 500 members are required to elect a five-member Administrative Committee, a seven-member committee where the membership is more than 500 but less than 1,500, and nine-member committee where the membership strength is in excess of 1,500 employees.
Article 2 of a ministerial decision issued in 2010, which governs the establishment of trade unions, grants workers the right to form labour unions in order to safeguard their interests, defend their rights, and improve their financial and
social status and to represent
them in all matters relating to their welfare.
Employees are entitled to join or leave a trade union and shall not be prevented from exercising their right to participate in trade union activity. Additionally, workers shall not be coerced into joining or leaving a trade union, as outlined under Article 3.
Article 4 lists a number of conditions that workers must fulfil in order to be eligible to join a trade union.
Being an Omani national is not a prerequisite for membership. However, membership of the Administrative Body is restricted to Omani nationals, as set out under Article 11.
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