Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1997, published 86th ILC session (1998)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (Ratification: 1971)

The Committee notes that the Government's report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

1. Article 1, paragraph 1(a), of the Convention. The Committee notes the Organic Act of the National Armed Forces of 26 September 1983 was partially amended on 9 December 1994 maintaining the principle of non-discrimination in the awards military grades. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of any further developments in the application of the Convention to members of the armed forces.

2. The Committee notes that, in reply to its previous request regarding equality in employment irrespective of colour and national extraction, the Government relies on the constitutional provision prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, sex, creed or social origin (article 61). It accordingly asks the Government to provide information on the methods by which this constitutional principle of non-discrimination extends to "colour" and "national extraction", for instance in court actions concerning access to training, to employment and terms and conditions of employment.

3. The Committee notes with interest the statistics compiled for 1992 by the Women's National Council regarding the number of women employed in the private, public and judicial sector (where women judges outnumber men), the evolution of the workforce participation of women and of men, and women's monthly income. The Committee would appreciate receiving, with the next report, further statistics on the practical effect given to the principle of equality in employment and occupation through, for example, the labour inspectorate (the number of inspections carried out in relation to discrimination in employment and their results, violations reported, penalties imposed and cases brought before the courts).

4. The Committee notes with interest that article 66 of the collective bargaining agreement for 1993-94 entered into between the National Telephone Company Limited of Venezuela (CANTV) and the Federation of Telecommunication Workers (FETRATEL) prohibits discrimination on the bases of age, sex, ethnic group, religion and ideology. The Committee requests the Government to provide information in its next report on the methods of protection against discrimination including details of any inspections carried out in this regard, their results, violations reported, penalties imposed and any court cases. The Committee would also appreciate information on any measures taken or envisaged to include "colour" and "national extraction" as prohibited grounds of discrimination in collective agreements. It also notes that Annex D of the collective agreement relates to educational scholarships to workers' children and requests the Government to inform it of any measures taken to ensure there is equal opportunity and access in the selection process of the awards as provided for by the Convention.