(i) Freedom of association: Freedom of association means that employees have the right

to form or to join a trade union of their choice. They have the right t o participate in
the lawful activities of the trade union ((Du Toit et al., 2007). The protection of the
freedom of association in the Labour Relation Act (LRA) must be within the context
of the fundamental rights of freedom of association contained in the International
Labour Organisation (ILO) abiding to the Constitution of the country. According to
the Government Gazette of Mauritius (2008: 528), every worker shall have the right
to establish or join, as a member, a trade union of his own choice, without previous
authorisation and without distinction whatsoever or discrimination of any kind
including discrimination as to occupation, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation,
colour, race, religion, HIV status, national extraction, social origin, political opinion
or affiliation. Employers also have similar rights to form or join an employers’
organisation, such as the Mauritius Employers Federation (MEF), in Mauritius.