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

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

The Committee notes the Government’s report.

The Committee notes that a draft Bill to amend the Organic Labour Act, prepared following the visit by the direct contacts mission, is reported to have been submitted to the National Assembly on 7 June 2002. In this respect, the Committee notes that the draft Bill amends section 496 of the Organic Labour Act so as to allow the right to strike in essential public services where their paralysis does not cause irremediable prejudice to institutions. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the scope of this provision (with an indication of the institutions to which it refers and the conditions under which it applies). The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the activities of the labour directors referred to in section 613 of the draft Bill.

The Committee also notes the adoption of the Act issuing the conditions of service of the public service on 11 July 2002. In this respect, the Committee notes firstly that the Act only grants career public servants, that is permanent public servants, the right to organize in trade unions (section 32). The Committee recalls that the only possible exclusion from the categories of persons covered by the Convention concerns the armed forces and the police. In these conditions, the Committee requests the Government to take measures to amend the above Act so that it guarantees the right to organize of all public servants. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the procedural rules relating to the peaceful settlement of disputes and the exercise of the right to strike.