At a glance
- Oman has issued a new ministerial regulation updating the framework governing trade unions, including their establishment, registration and administration.
- The regulation sets out procedures for forming trade unions, sectoral general unions and the General Federation of Oman Workers, while allowing existing unions and boards to complete their current legal terms.
- New rules govern the operation of preparatory and founding committees, as well as the election of administrative boards.
- A Legal Protection Committee has been established to investigate alleged violations involving union members, worker representatives and union boards, strengthening protections for those engaged in trade union activities.
- The regulation also introduces workplace release arrangements, enabling union representatives to attend meetings, training and official proceedings while taking employers' operational requirements into account.
Oman's Ministry of Labour has issued a new ministerial regulation updating the legal framework governing trade unions, providing greater clarity on their establishment, governance and the protections available to union members and worker representatives.
The regulation sets out detailed procedures for the formation and registration of trade unions, sectoral general unions and the General Federation of Oman Workers. To support continuity, existing unions and their administrative boards will be permitted to complete their current legal terms under the previous framework.
The new rules also provide greater certainty around trade union governance by clarifying the roles and responsibilities of preparatory and founding committees and introducing more detailed provisions governing the election of administrative boards.
A notable development is the creation of a Legal Protection Committee, which will be responsible for examining alleged violations involving trade union members, administrative boards and worker representatives. The measure is intended to strengthen safeguards for individuals participating in legitimate trade union activities.
In addition, the regulation establishes mechanisms allowing union members and representatives to be released from work in certain circumstances to attend meetings, training programmes or official summonses. These arrangements are designed to facilitate participation in trade union activities while balancing employers' operational and business needs.
The new regulation forms part of Oman's ongoing efforts to enhance labour relations and provide a clearer framework for trade union representation, governance and member protections. Employers should review the new requirements and consider whether any updates to workplace policies and procedures are required to ensure compliance.
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