Registration of trade unions and employers’ organisations

(1) It shall be the duty of the Registrar to keep a Register of all the trade unions and employers’ organisations registered under this Act, and such Register shall be in such form as may Trade Unions and Employers; Organisations (Registration, Recognition and Status) 15 be prescribed from time to time by Regulations made hereunder. (2) Only trade unions and employers’ organisations registered under this Act shall enjoy and be entitled to the rights, benefits and advantages conferred on them and their members by this Act, and no trade union or employers’ organisation which is not registered under this Act shall be legally recognised as such. (3) Any seven or more members of a trade union, or three or more members of an employers’ organisation may, by subscribing their names to the Rules for the time being governing the trade union or employers’ organisation and otherwise complying with all the other requirements of this Act and Regulations made hereunder, apply to the Registrar to be registered as a trade union or an employers’ organisation. (4) An application under subsection (3) of this section, shall be accompanied by three copies of the Constitution of the trade union or employers’ organisation, duly authenticated by the signatures of the Chairperson or President and the Secretary of the trade union or employers’ organisation for which the application is made. (5) The Registrar shall register a trade union or an employers’ organisation which applies for registration if he is satisfied that, (a) the requirements of this section have been met; (b) the Constitution of the trade union or employers’ organisation complies with the Belize Constitution, Cap. 4 and the laws of Belize; Trade Unions and Employers; Organisations (Registration, 16 Recognition and Status) (c) the name of the trade union or employers’ organisation is not identical to the name of any other trade union or organisation or so closely resembles any other organisation’s name as to be likely to mislead, deceive or confuse its own members or the public as to its true identity. (6) Any trade union or employers’ organisation which was in existence and recognised as such before the commencement of this Act shall be registered by the Registrar, notwithstanding that such trade union or employers’ organisation may not meet all the registration requirements provided in this section. (7) Every person aggrieved by the Registrar’s refusal or failure to register a trade union or employers’ organisation may appeal against such refusal or failure to the tripartite body for determination. (8) Every trade union or employers’ organisation which is registered under this Act shall be issued with a certificate of registration by the Registrar. First Schedule.