Citizens to be granted the right to strike in Uzbekistan

For the first time, Uzbekistan is set to legally guarantee citizens’ right to strike. This was discussed today, September 9, by deputies of the Legislative Chamber during consideration of the Senate’s draft law titled ’’on amendments and additions to certain legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan in connection with strengthening guarantees of citizens’ labor rights’’.

The draft law aims to align national legislation with the International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions no. 87 on the ’’Freedom of association and protection of the right to organize’’ and no. 98 on the “Right to organize and collective bargaining’’. This, in turn, ensures compliance with the standards outlined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.

The initiative provides for the legal regulation of the right to strike. By filling existing gaps in national legislation, the draft law seeks to fully safeguard citizens’ labor rights in accordance with international standards.

The draft law consists of nine articles and introduces significant amendments and additions to two laws and four codes. Notably, the Labor Code will now include a clear definition and explanation of the right to strike, procedures for conducting strikes, and the guarantees provided to employees during such actions.

The legislation also clarifies rules regarding the postponement, suspension, resumption, and termination of strikes, as well as limits on strike activities.

The draft law aims to fully align national legislation with international labor standards while reinforcing social justice, equality, and principles of democratic governance in practice.

The Legislative Chamber has approved the draft decision on this proposal.

Under the new version of the Constitution, Article 98 grants citizens of Uzbekistan with voting rights, numbering no fewer than 100,000, the ability to submit legislative proposals to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis under the legislative initiative procedure. This right also applies to the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman), and the Central Election Commission.

In 2024, the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) used this constitutional provision for the first time to submit a legislative proposal. Following these constitutional norms, a second legislative initiative was prepared by the Oliy Majlis Senate and submitted to the Legislative Chamber.

The right to strike is not an individual right but a collective one. A strike serves as a method for resolving labor disputes and occurs when a collective labor conflict arises between employees and an employer within an organization or enterprise. Its purpose is to achieve the satisfaction of employees’ social, economic, and professional demands at the company or government level by collectively suspending work either fully or partially. According to the current draft of Uzbekistan’s Labor Code, employees do not yet have the legal right to strike.