Although fewer than 50 percent of workers belong to unions, the important hotel industry is heavily unionized. The ATLU is associated with the ruling ALP, while the larger and more active AWU is rather loosely allied with the opposition. The Labor Code recognizes the right to strike, but the Industrial Relations Court may limit this right in a given dispute. Once either party to a dispute requests the court to mediate, there can be no strike. Because of the delays associated with this process, unions often resolve labor disputes before a strike is called.
Unions are free to affiliate with international labor organizations and do so in practice.
The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively Labor organizations are free to organize and bargain collectively. The law prohibits antiunion discrimination, and there were no reports that it occurred. Employers found guilty of antiunion discrimination are not required to rehire employees fired for union activities, but must pay full severance pay and full wages lost by the employee from the time of firing until the determination of employer fault. There are no areas of the country where union organization or collective bargaining is discouraged or impeded. A proposed export processing zone has yet to be created.