Unions freely may form domestic federations or join international labor federations. Trade unions are independent of the Government and the political parties, but they have close informal ties with the parties, which exercise strong influence on them. Workers in all nonmilitary occupations have the right to strike. No general strikes occurred in at least the last 8 years. The law gives collective bargaining agreements the force of law and prohibits antiunion discrimination by employers.
Effective mechanisms exist to resolve complaints.
The minimum working age and compulsory education age ceiling is 16 years. The Ministry of Labor and Cooperation permits no exceptions. Wages were generally higher than the minimum. The law sets the workweek at 36 hours in public administration and 37 hours in industry and private business, with 24 hours of rest per week for workers in either category. The law stipulates safety and health standards, and the judicial system monitors them.