Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2002, published 91st ILC session (2003)

Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98) - Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (Ratification: 1968)

The Committee notes the observation of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) dated 17 September 2002 on the application of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to send its comments thereon.

The Committee notes the report of the direct contacts mission carried out in Venezuela in May 2002.

The Committee also notes that a bill to reform the Basic Labour Law, drafted after the abovementioned mission, was submitted to the National Assembly on 7 June 2002. The Committee observes that the bill contains several provisions that take account of the comments that the Committee has been making for many years (particularly providing that where no trade union represents an absolute majority of workers in an enterprise, it can at least negotiate an agreement on behalf of its members; and protection against acts of anti-union discrimination and interference by means of effective sanctions). The Committee requests the Government to provide information in its next report on any developments in the processing of the abovementioned bill.

Lastly, in its previous observation the Committee had noted the comments of the World Confederation of Labour (WCL) raising objections to the Act to reform the judicial authorities, adopted on 26 August 1998, on the grounds that it was in breach of the collective agreement in force in the sector. In this regard, the Committee notes from the report of the direct contacts mission the authorities’ statement that: (1) the Act to reform the judiciary never really came into force; and (2) labour relations in the judiciary are currently governed by collective agreements.

[The Government is asked to report in detail in 2003.]