Mauritian unions to appeal to ILO and ITUC over Public Gatherings Act amendments
via Le Mauricien3 min read
Several trade unions in Mauritius plan to seek intervention from the International Labour Organization ILO and the International Trade Union Confederation ITUC regarding proposed amendments to the Public Gatherings Act PGA. They argue these amendments are repressive and aim to pressure the government to withdraw them. A union platform, formed by the Mauritius Trade Union Confederation MTUC and the Federation of Parastatal Bodies and Other Unions FPBOU, is urging workers to mobilize against the new provisions. Deepak Benydin, spokesperson for the platform, drew parallels to the 1970s Public Order Act POA, which was used to suppress strikes and protests, leading to arrests and imprisonment of unionists like Paul Bérenger. The POA was repealed in 1991 and replaced by the PGA. Benydin also referenced past legal actions against unionists under the PGA, including a 2006 case where six unionists, including himself, faced charges after a protest, and a 2012 incident where unionists were arrested for an allegedly illegal public meeting. The proposed amendments would quadruple the maximum fine from Rs 25,000 to Rs 100,000 and increase imprisonment from four to five years. Benydin questioned if the aim is to deter Mauritians from exercising their right to protest, emphasizing that freedom of assembly and the right to organize are guaranteed by fundamental ILO conventions ratified by Mauritius. He also noted that the 114th International Labour Conference reaffirmed the right to strike as
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Mauricien.
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