Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (Ratification: 1967)

With reference to its observation, the Committee wishes to raise the following additional points.

Articles 4, 6, 7 and 10 of the Convention. Organization of the labour inspection system. Status and conditions of service of personnel engaged in inspection functions. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government concerning the organization of the labour inspection system. It notes in particular that the administrative bodies known as “labour inspectorates” contain several services, including “supervisory units”, which are bodies responsible for labour inspection. It notes that 191 “supervisors” and 105 “special commissioners” are distributed throughout the 45 supervisory units. According to the Government, this distribution ensures the presence of at least one “supervisory unit” in each state of the country.

With regard to the “special commissioners”, the Committee notes that, according to the Government, they are responsible for providing support to the supervisory function. However, it observes that the number of commissioners exceeds that of the “supervisors” in place in certain cases. The Committee also notes that the experience acquired as special commissioners assigned to the inspection of workplaces is taken into account in the context of competitions for posts as labour “supervisors”. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the reasons explaining these figures. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would specify the exact status, conditions of service, powers, duties and functions of “special commissioners”. It also requests the Government to provide information on the criteria and procedures used for the recruitment of the “special commissioners” (the body responsible for their recruitment, the duration and methods of assessment of their qualifications, the number of applicants, the number of applicants selected, etc.) and their training.

It also requests the Government to provide information on the number of labour inspectors attached to the National Institute for Occupational Prevention, Health and Safety (INPSASEL), their geographical distribution, fields of specialization and training.

Article 11. Material resources available to labour inspection personnel. The Committee notes that the Government, in addition to the availability of the means of transport of the People’s Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MINPPTRASS), provides the labour inspectorate with the necessary support for the discharge of its functions, including means of transport to facilitate inspections in remote areas, such as the island region, areas served by river transport and oil platforms. The Committee further notes with interest that, according to the information provided by the Government, labour and social security “supervisors” benefit from a travel allowance for the discharge of their functions. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information on the geographical distribution of the vehicles available to labour “supervisors” and the labour inspectors of the INPSASEL for the discharge of their functions at workplaces, and to specify the criteria for the determination of the amount of the travel allowance granted to labour “supervisors” and, where applicable, to INPSASEL labour inspectors.