In a notable development during the Arab Trade Union Confederation\u2019s meeting on April 6, 2026\u2014and notably without any participation from independent Algerian unions\u2014Algeria was placed on the \u201clong list\u201d of countries with serious violations of international labour standards related to trade union freedoms. This move reflects growing regional and international concern over the deterioration of trade union rights in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This regional classification for the Middle East and North Africa is based directly on the latest observations of the Committee of Experts of the International Labour Organization, which in its 2025 report<\/a> identified serious violations of Convention No. 98 on the right to organize and collective bargaining. The Committee also issued a direct request<\/a> to the Algerian government regarding the application of Article 87 bis of the Penal Code, which has been used to prosecute human rights defenders under terrorism-related charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The report is not based on abstract assessments but on documented evidence. It reflects a documented accumulation of complaints and field reports submitted by independent trade unions in Algeria,<\/a>particularly those affiliated with the Trade Union Confederation of Productive Forces (COSYFOP), which has played a key role in bringing these violations from the national level to international oversight mechanisms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Committee highlighted a growing pattern of anti-union discrimination targeting independent leaders, alongside weak or ineffective legal protection mechanisms, continued government interference in trade union affairs, and increasing restrictions on collective bargaining through vague and loosely defined legal criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although Algeria has been placed on the long list, the final \u201cshort list\u201d\u2014which will determine the countries to be examined this year by the Committee on the Application of Standards at the International Labour Conference in June\u2014has yet to be finalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to available information, the Trade Union Confederation of Productive Forces is not currently pushing for Algeria\u2019s inclusion on the short list this year, in light of ongoing tensions between independent Algerian unions and the International Trade Union Confederation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This position reflects a strategic assessment rather than any retreat from demands. The focus at this stage is on restructuring international alliances, rather than engaging in a process whose outcomes may prove uncertain or even counterproductive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This cautious approach is rooted in the experience of 2024, when, according to sources within COSYFOP, the efforts of independent unions were effectively sidelined.<\/a>A lack of coordination and cooperation between workers\u2019 representatives within the ILO system \u2014 particularlythe Bureau for Workers\u2019 Activities<\/a> \u2014 and independent Algerian unions significantly weakened their presence and reduced the effectiveness of international oversight mechanisms, especially the Committee on the Application of Standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This situation gave the Algerian government considerable room for maneuver and contributed to a sharp escalation in repression against independent unions over the past two years, amid a perception that meaningful international labour pressure was absent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In response to these challenges, independent Algerian unions are recalibrating their international strategy in a pragmatic and forward-looking manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This involves strengthening cooperation with global sectoral federations, particularly Public Services International<\/a> andInternational Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers\u2019 Associations<\/a>, which have provided consistent and tangible support to independent unions in Algeria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the same time, efforts are underway to broaden engagement with other international trade union federations interested in developments in Algeria, with the aim of breaking isolation and restoring balance within a diverse and often complex global trade union landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In parallel, independent unions are deepening partnerships with major international human rights organizations, notably Amnesty International,<\/a>as well as other independent actors, in order to reinforce the credibility of the Algerian trade union file and strengthen documentation and advocacy efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBetween the Long List and the Short List: An Ongoing Battle<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The 2024 Experience: When Oversight Mechanisms Lost Their Impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reframing Strategy: Toward More Balanced and Effective International Alliances<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
From Trade Union Struggle to Human Rights Advocacy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n