Definitive Report - Report No 62, 1962

Case No 216 (Argentina) - Complaint date: 14-DEC-59 - Closed

1. 75. In a communication dated 14 December 1959 the Trade Unions International of Textile, Clothing, Leather and Fur Workers (Trade Department of the W.F.T.U) submitted to the I.L.O a complaint against the Argentine Government alleging infringement of trade union rights. In a communication dated 26 February 1960 the W.F.T.U stated that it endorsed this complaint.
2. 76. In two communications dated 14 March 1960 the complaint was forwarded to the Government for its observations, and the W.F.T.U was informed of its right to furnish further information in substantiation of its complaint within a period of one month. The Government replied by a letter dated 5 September 1960.
3. 77. Dealing with the case at its 26th Session (November 1960), the Committee submitted to the Governing Body an interim report which was approved by the Governing Body at its 147th Session (November 1960), containing a request for certain additional information."
4. 78. The Argentine Government was informed by a letter from the Director-General dated 24 November 1960 of the Committee's interim conclusions, as approved by the Governing Body, and sent its reply to the Office in a communication dated 24 February 1961, which arrived too late for examination at the 27th Session of the Committee in February 1961.
5. 79. Dealing with the case again at its 28th Session (May 1961), the Committee submitted to the Governing Body an interim report containing its final recommendations on certain allegations relating to the arrest of Mr. Andrés Framini, General Secretary of the Argentine Association of Textile Workers, leaving outstanding only the allegations relating to the strike of textile workers and to measures taken against the strikers. This report by the Committee was approved by the Governing Body at its 149th Session (June 1961).
6. 80. The case was again considered by the Committee at its 29th Session (November 1961), when the Committee had before it a communication from the Government dated 17 October 1961, providing additional information. After noting this information, the Committee felt that it would be advisable to wait for the fuller information which the Government appeared to intend to supply before making any recommendations on this aspect of the case to the Governing Bo y. The recommendation of the Committee, contained in paragraph 492 of its 58th Report, was approved by the Governing Body at its 150th Session (November 1961).
7. 81. In a communication dated 27 April 1962 the Government supplied information concerning the outstanding allegations, namely in connection with the strike of textile workers and measures taken against the strikers. The following paragraphs deal exclusively with those allegations.
8. 82. The Argentine Republic has ratified the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).

A. A. The complainants' allegations

• Allegations relating to the Strike of Textile Workers and to Measures Taken against the Strikers
  83. 83 The complainants allege that after 100 days of unsuccessful negotiations, during which the employers refused to grant better working conditions, the 200,000 workers in the textile industry were forced to come out on strike; as a result, many union leaders and textile workers were sent to concentration camps in the south of the country, where they were subjected to ill-treatment.
  84. 84 In three communications dated 24 February and 17 October 1961 and 27 April 1962, the Government forwarded its observations on the only aspects of the case still outstanding, namely the allegations relating to the maltreatment of detained workers and to the existence of concentration camps in the southern part of the country. These three communications from the Government refer also to identical allegations made in Case No. 192 (Argentine Republic) which have already been considered and on which the Committee has submitted its recommendations to the Governing Body.
  85. 85 Having regard to the foregoing, the Committee considers that it would be purposeless to examine this aspect of the case further.

The Committee's recommendations

1. 86. In these circumstances the Committee recommends the Governing Body to decide that the matters raised in the allegations relating to the strike of textile workers and to measures taken against the strikers are already covered by the recommendations contained in paragraph 74 (b) of this report in respect of Case No. 192, also before the Committee at this session.