Information Note on the Court’s case-law No.
April 1993
Sibson v. the United Kingdom - 14327/88
Judgment 20.4.1993
Article 11
Article 11-1
Form and join trade unions
Not join trade unions
Obligation imposed on a lorry driver to be a member of a particular trade union or to move to another depot: no violation
[This summary is extracted from the Court’s official reports (Series A or Reports of Judgments and Decisions). Its formatting and structure may therefore differ from the Case-Law Information Note summaries.]
I.GOVERNMENT'S PRELIMINARY OBJECTIONS (FAILURE TO EXHAUST DOMESTIC REMEDIES)
Applicant alleged not to have raised in domestic proceedings arguments that conditions in the other place of work would have been less favourable, or that he had been subjected to "action short of dismissal" (allegations contested by applicant).
Both preliminary objections raised issues closely linked to merits - Government's plea joined to merits.
II.ARTICLE 11 OF THE CONVENTION
Case to be distinguished from Young, James and Webster judgment - applicant had no objections to trade union membership on grounds of any specific convictions - no closed shop agreement in force - dismissal involving loss of livelihood not inevitable, as possibility of working elsewhere was offered - no form of treatment striking at very substance of freedom of association.
Not necessary to rule on preliminary objections.
Conclusion: no violation (seven votes to two).
© Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights
This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.
Click here for the Case-Law Information Notes
Full & Egal Universal Law Academy