TABLE OF CONTENTS
I INTRODUCTION OF THE CASE AND CAUSE OF THE ACTION ................................... 4
II PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COURT ..................................................................... 5
III JURISDICTION ................................................................................................... 6
IV PRELIMINARY OBJECTIONS ................................................................................ 6
A. Alleged configuration of the international “fourth instance”................................................................................... 6
A.1. Arguments of the parties and of the Commission .......................................................................................... 6
A.2. Considerations of the Court ............................................................................................................................ 7
B. Alleged failure to exhaust domestic remedies .......................................................................................................... 8
B.1. Arguments of the parties and of the Commission .......................................................................................... 8
B.2. Considerations of the Court ............................................................................................................................ 8
V EVIDENCE ............................................................................................................. 9
A. Admissibility of the documentary evidence .............................................................................................................. 9
B. Admissibility of the testimonial and expert evidence............................................................................................... 10
VI FACTS ............................................................................................................... 10
A. Applicable legal framework .................................................................................................................................... 10
A.1. Constitution of the Republic of Guatemala .................................................................................................. 10
A.2. Law on Unionization and Strike Regulations for State Employees, Decree No. 71-86 ................................. 11
A.3. Labor Code .................................................................................................................................................... 11
A.4. Collective Agreement on Working Conditions .............................................................................................. 12
B. Renegotiation of the collective agreement and the strike of 1996 ........................................................................ 13
B.1. The process of denunciation and renegotiation of the collective agreement .............................................. 13
B.2. The strike and its subsequent characterization ............................................................................................ 14
B.3. Remedies to challenge the declaration of illegality of the strike .................................................................. 15
C. Dismissal of employees by the Supreme Court and subsequent motions of appeal............................................... 16
VII MERITS............................................................................................................ 18
VII-1 RIGHTS TO JUDICIAL GUARANTEES AND JUDICIAL PROTECTION IN
RELATION TO THE OBLIGATIONS TO RESPECT AND GUARANTEE RIGHTS AND THE
DUTY TO ADOPT PROVISONS OF DOMESTIC LAW .................................................. 19
A. Arguments of the parties and of the Commission .................................................................................................. 19
B. Considerations of the Court ..................................................................................................................................... 20
B.1. Right to judicial guarantees .......................................................................................................................... 21
B.2. Judicial protection ......................................................................................................................................... 24
C. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................ 28
VII-2 RIGHTS TO STRIKE, TO FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION, FREEDOM TO ORGANIZE
AND THE RIGHT TO WORK IN RELATION TO THE OBLIGATIONS TO RESPECT AND
GUARANTEE RIGHTS, AND THE DUTY TO ADOPT PROVISIONS OF DOMESTIC LAW 28
A. Arguments of the parties and of the Commission .................................................................................................. 28
B. Considerations of the Court .................................................................................................................................... 29
B.1. General considerations regarding the content and scope of Article 26 of the American Convention ......... 29
B.2. The right to strike, in relation to the right to freedom of association and freedom to organize ................. 31
B.2. The right to work and to job security............................................................................................................ 37
C. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................ 38
VIII REPARATIONS ............................................................................................... 39
A. Injured party ........................................................................................................................................................... 39
B. Measures of restitution .......................................................................................................................................... 39
C. Measures of satisfaction .......................................................................................................................................... 40
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