Freedom of Association
Database 2024

Freedom of Association
Indicator
Freedom of Association
Countries
LRI 2024
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United Arab Emirates

Freedom of Association Indicator

The Labour Rights Index 2024 (LRI 2024) is a de-jure index covering 145 economies and structured around the working lifespan of a worker. In total, 46 questions or evaluation criteria are scored across 10 indicators. The overall score is calculated by taking the average of each indicator, with 100 being the highest possible score. The Index uses a rating system, ranging from “Total Lack of Decent Work” to “Decent Work”. The Labour Rights Index aims at an active contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, by providing necessary (complementary) insights into de jure provisions on issues covered in particular by SDG8 (Decent Jobs), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 16 (Strong Institutions). The Index is based on national labour legislation, applicable on 1 January 2024.

United Arab Emirates’ overall score is 55.5 out of 100. The overall score for United Arab Emirates is lower than the regional average observed across Middle East and North Africa (64). Within the Middle East and North Africa region, the highest score is observed for Morocco (77).

Uganda ratified Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (1948) in 2005 and Convention No. 98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949) in 1963.

Labour Rights Index 2024

55.5/100

LRI Country Score

0/100

Freedom of Association Indicator

. %

Trade union density rate (%)

. %

Collective bargaining coverage rate (%)

10

SDG indicator 8.8.2

5

ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 Ratings

Question

Answer

Score

Legal Basis

More Info

Does the law allow workers to form and join unions of their own choice?

No

0

ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 (UAE Profile); USDOS CRHRP 2023 (UAE)

C,D

Does the law allow workers to bargain collectively with employers through their representative unions?

No

0

USDOS CRHRP 2023 (UAE)

D

Does the law provide for the right to strike?

No

0

USDOS CRHRP 2023 (UAE)

D

Does the law prohibit imposing of excessive sanctions against striking workers?

No

0

§272 of the Federal Decree-Law No. (31) of 2021 promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law; USDOS CRHRP 2023 (UAE)

A,D

Textual sources

A : National Law

National Labour Legislation

B : CEACR

CEACR: ILO Committee of Experts on Application of Conventions and Recommendations (latest report)

C : ITUC

ITUC: ITUC Global Rights Index

D : USDOS

USDOS: US Department of States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

LRI Country Score
The Labour Rights Index has 10 indicators and 46 sub-indicators. The LRI Country score averages 10 indicators and ranges between 0 and 100. The lowest and highest scorers are Nigeria (29/100) and Belgium/Greece (96/100). https://labourrightsindex.org/  

Freedom of Association Indicator
The Freedom of Association indicator is composed of 4 sub-indicators. Scoring is done through the binary method (0 or 1). The score ranges between 0-100. 

Trade union density rate (%)
The trade union density rate conveys the number of union members who are employees as a percentage of the total number of employees in the country. For updated statistics on trade union density, please check ILOSTAT. 

Collective bargaining coverage rate (%)
The collective bargaining coverage rate conveys the number of employees whose pay and/or conditions of employment are determined by one or more collective agreement(s) as a percentage of the total number of employees in the country. For updated statistics on collective bargaining coverage, please check ILOSTAT. 

SDG indicator 8.8.2
SDG indicator 8.8.2 measures national compliance with fundamental labour rights (freedom of association and collective bargaining or FACB). It ranges from 0 to 10, with 0 being the best possible score (indicating higher levels of compliance with FACB rights) and 10 the worst (indicating lower levels of compliance with FACB rights). It is based on six ILO supervisory body textual sources and national legislation.
For an updated assessment on SDG indicator 8.8.2, please check ILOSTAT. 

ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 Ratings
The ITUC Global Rights Index depicts the world’s worst countries for workers by rating 148 countries on a scale from 1 to 5+ on the degree of respect for workers’ rights. Violations are recorded each year from April to March.  For a detailed description of ratings and methodology, please follow the link. 

Information

Source: ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 (UAE Profile); USDOS CRHRP 2023 (UAE)

C : ITUC

ITUC Global Rights Index (country legal profile)

"The current Labor Law does not recognize unions, but workers are allowed to associate in "national societies and public welfare associations" for the promotion of common goals and interests."

D : USDOS

USDOS: US Department of States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

"The law did not grant workers the right to organize or bargain collectively or permit them to form or join unions. Given the absence of unions, there were no reports of government enforcement of laws regarding their establishment or operation."

Information

Source: USDOS CRHRP 2023 (UAE)

D : USDOS

USDOS: US Department of States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

"The law did not grant workers the right to organize or bargain collectively or permit them to form or join unions. Given the absence of unions, there were no reports of government enforcement of laws regarding their establishment or operation."

Information

Source: USDOS CRHRP 2023 (UAE)

D : USDOS

USDOS: US Department of States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

"The law explicitly prohibited strikes by public-sector employees, security guards, and migrant workers, and private-sector workers had access to a labor-dispute process that did not recognize work suspension as a form of protest or bargaining. "

Information

Source: §272 of the Federal Decree-Law No. (31) of 2021 promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law; USDOS CRHRP 2023 (UAE)

A : National Law

National Labour Legislation

"Article (272) Strike and disruption of work: If at least three public employees leave their work or intentionally refrain from performing a duty of their job, by agreement or seeking to achieve an illegal purpose, each of them shall be punished with imprisonment for a period of not less than (6) six months and not more than one year. The penalty shall be imprisonment if the abandonment or abstention is likely to endanger people’s lives, health or security, or if it is likely to cause unrest or strife among people, or if it disrupts another public interest, or if the perpetrator is an instigator. In all cases, the court shall order the deportation of the foreigner."

D : USDOS

USDOS: US Department of States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

"Workers who walked off the job were subject to disciplinary measures ranging from temporary suspensions to wage deductions and full termination, depending on their employer’s assessment of the strike’s financial and reputational impact. The law mandated deportation of noncitizen public-sector workers for “refusing to work.” "