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

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (Ratification: 1982)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report and also the discussions which took place in the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards in June 1997; it recalls that its previous comments concerning the Organic Labour Act referred for many years now to:

-- the requirement for an excessively long period of residence (more than ten years) in order for foreign workers to hold trade union office (section 404);

-- the excessively long and detailed list of duties entrusted to and aims to be achieved by workers' and employers' organizations (sections 408 and 409);

-- the requirement for an excessively high number of workers (100) necessary to form self-employed workers' trade unions (section 418); and

-- the requirement for an excessively high number of employers (ten) needed to establish an employers' trade union (section 419).

The Committee duly notes that, in accordance with the information provided by the Government, discussions have begun with the most representative organizations of employers and workers, within the recently established "Tripartite Commission for Social Dialogue", in order to bring the labour legislation into line with the requirements of the Convention.

The Committee once again expresses the firm hope that as a result of the tripartite dialogue, specific progress towards overcoming the existing discrepancies between national legislation and the Convention may be observed in the near future. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information in this respect in its next report.

The Committee is addressing a request on another matter directly to the Government.