Trade unions in Burundi

History of trade unions in Burundi

COSYBU
CSB

Union densityUnder 3%Global Rights Index

5+ No guarantee of rights due to breakdown of law

International Labour OrganizationBurundi is a member of the ILOConvention ratificationFreedom of Association25 June 1993Right to Organise10 October 1997

There are two main trade union confederations in Burundi; the Confederation of Trade Unions of Burundi (COSYBU) and the Trade Union Confederation of Burundi (CSB). Both are affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

Repression

The ITUC ranked Burundi the worst possible score of 5+ in the Global Rights Index, a status shared by 11 other countries^[1] due its frequent repression of trade union leaders including arrests, union busting and usage of strike breakers.^[2]

History

During Belgium colonial rule, African workers were not allowed to form or join trade unions until 1946. The trade unions that did form during this time were affiliated to the main two Belgium union confederations. The socialist General Labour Federation of Belgium (FGTB) ignored some of the restrictions on organizing African workers and by 1951 helped organized African and European workers in the affiliated FGTB-CBRU (French: Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique-Congo Belge, Rwanda-Urundi) inside the shared colony of Belgium Congo/Ruanda-Urundi.^[3]

The Belgian Confederation of Christian Trade Unions established the Federation of Christian Workers' Unions and Rural Workers of Burundi (FSOCPB; Fédération des Syndicats de Chrétians Ouvriers et Paysans du Burundi) in 1958. Its membership was Hutu members only and driven underground in the 1960s.^[4]

Burundi reached independence from Belgium in 1962.^[5] Four trade union emerged from former Belgian trade unions, (SLTB; Syndicat Libre des Travailleurs du Burundi), (SAAB; Syndicat des Agents de l'Administration du Burundi) a civil-servant union, FTB; Fédération des Travailleurs du Burundi (formed in 1963 and banned in 1965) and (SCB; Syndicat Chrétian du Burundi).^[3]

In November 1966, Burundi came under military rule and by 1967, all previous unions were absorbed into the Union of Workers of Burundi (UTB; Union des Travailleurs du Burundi) which was Tutsi dominated and close to the single ruling party Union for National Progress.^[4]

In 1991 the present day Trade Union Confederation of Burundi (CSB) was established, followed by its smaller rival Burundi, Confederation of Trade Unions of Burundi (COSYBU) in 1995. Both are affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation. There are 74 registered trade unions as of 2017; 36 are affiliated to CSB, 17 are affiliated to COSYBU and 21 are unaffiliated.^[4]

References

^ "Burundi" (PDF). Global Rights Index. International Trade Union Confederation. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
^ "Global Rights Index". ITUC Survey of violations of trade union rights. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
^ ^a ^b Ananaba, Wogu (1979). The Trade Union Movement in Africa: Promise and Performance. pp. 49, 61. ISBN 0905838130.
^ ^a ^b ^c Blackburn, Daniel; Cross, Ciaran, eds. (2021). Trade Unions of the World (8th ed.). London: International Centre for Trade Union Rights (ICTUR). pp. 78–79. ISBN 978-0993355622.
^ "Background Note: Burundi". U.S. State Department. August 2000. Archived from the original on June 6, 2002.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.