Importance of the right to strike and entitlement to exercise the right (Right to strike)

473. While the Committee has always regarded the right to strike as constituting a fundamental right of workers and of their organizations, it has regarded it as such only in so far as it is utilized as a means of defending their economic interests.

(See the Digest of 1985, para. 364.)

474. The Committee has always recognized the right to strike by workers and their organizations as a legitimate means of defending their economic and social interests.

(See the Digest of 1985, para. 362.)

475. The right to strike is one of the essential means through which workers and their organizations may promote and defend their economic and social interests.

(See the Digest of 1985, para. 363.)

476. The exclusion from the right to strike of wage-earners in the private sector who are on probation is incompatible with the principles of freedom of association.

(See the Digest of 1985, para. 389.)

477. It does not appear that making a right to call a strike the sole preserve of trade union organizations is incompatible with the standards of Convention No. 87. Workers, and especially their leaders in undertakings, should however be protected against any discrimination which might be exercised because of a strike and they should be able to form trade unions without being exposed to anti-union discrimination.

(See the Digest of 1985, para. 361.)

478. The prohibition on the calling of strikes by federations and confederations is not compatible with Convention No. 87.

(See 265th Report, Cases Nos. 1434 and 1477, para. 495.)