Freedom of association / Right to organise
Freedom of association
Freedom of association is prohibited.
Anti-Union discrimination
The law does not specifically protect workers from anti-union discrimination.
Restrictions on workers’ right to form and join organisations of their own choosing
- Single trade union system imposed by law and/or a system banning or limiting organising at a certain level (enterprise, industry and/or sector, regional and/or territorial, national)
- Only one workers' committee can be formed in each qualifying enterprise.
Restrictions on trade unions’ right to organise their administration
- Restrictions on the right to freely draw up their constitutions and rules
- The government must approve the statutes and membership of the workers' committees.
- Restrictions on the right to elect representatives and self-administer in full freedom
- The Minister of Labour and Social Affairs and management have the right to send a representative to workers' committee meetings. The minutes of workers' committees’ meetings must be submitted to management and then passed on to the Minister.
Barriers to the establishment of organisations
- Excessive representativity or minimum number of members required for the establishment of a union
- Saudi workers have the right to set up workers' committees in workplaces in which more than 100 workers are employed.
- Restrictions on the right to freely organise activities and formulate programmes
- Public demonstrations of a political nature are prohibited.
- Administrative authorities’ power to unilaterally dissolve, suspend or de-register trade union organisations
- The Ministry of Labour may dissolve a workers' committee should it violate regulations or threaten public security.
Categories of workers prohibited or limited from forming or joining a union, or from holding a union office
- Non-national or migrant workers
- Foreign workers are not allowed to serve on workers' committees.
- Sanctions imposed for organising or joining an organisation not officially recognised
- Anyone who tries to form a union can be dismissed, imprisoned or, in the case of migrant workers, deported.
Right to collective bargaining
Right to collective bargaining
The right to collective bargaining is not protected in law.
Right to strike
Right to strike
The right to strike is prohibited.