Observation (CEACR) - adoptée 2025, publiée 114ème session CIT (2026)

Venezuela (République bolivarienne du)

Convention (n° 26) sur les méthodes de fixation des salaires minima, 1928 (Ratification: 1944)
Convention (n° 95) sur la protection du salaire, 1949 (Ratification: 1982)

In order to provide a comprehensive view of issues relating to the application of ratified Conventions on wages, the Committee considers it appropriate to examine Convention No. 26 (minimum wage-fixing machinery) and Convention No. 95 (protection of wages) together.

The Committee notes the observations on Convention No. 26 submitted by the Federation of Chambers and Associations of Commerce and Production of Venezuela (FEDECAMARAS), the Federation of Chambers and Enterprises of Venezuela (FEDEINDUSTRIA), and the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations of Venezuela (FAPUV) presented jointly with the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), transmitted with the Government’s report. The Committee also notes the joint observations submitted in respect of Conventions Nos 26 and 95 by the Association of Teachers of the Central University of Venezuela (APUCV), the National Trade Union of Workers of the Central University of Venezuela (SINTRAUCV), the Trade Union of the Association of Professionals and Technicians in Administrative and Technical Functions of the Central University of Venezuela (APUFAT), and the Workers’ Union of the Central University of Venezuela (SUTRAUCV), received on 13 March 2025. The Committee also notes the observations on Conventions Nos 26 and 95 of the Confederation of Workers of Venezuela (CTV) and the National Union of Workers of Venezuela (UNETE) submitted jointly with the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions (CODESA), received on 1 September 2025 and those of the United Federation of Workers of Venezuela (CUTV) received on 2 September 2025.

Follow-up to the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry (complaint made under article 26 of the Constitution of the ILO)

Minimum wage

Articles 1 and 3 of Convention No. 26. Establishment of minimum wage-fixing machinery. Exceptionally low wages, consultation and participation of the social partners. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the discussions held at the 353rd and 355th (March and November 2025) Sessions of the Governing Body concerning the report on the developments in the full implementation by the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela of the agreed plan of action to give effect to the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry in respect of Conventions Nos 26, 87 and 144, as well as the decisions taken in that regard. In particular, the Committee notes that: (i) the fifth meeting of the Social Dialogue Forum, provided for in the plan of action updated to February 2024, has not been held; (ii) in the first quarter of 2025, consultative meetings were held on the establishment of a minimum wage-fixing method, without the participation of the Office, and a report was submitted on the matter for consideration by the authorities; and (iii) the aforementioned report did not result in the setting of the minimum wage or wages, though the agreed method.

The Committee observes that the Governing Body will review developments related to implementation of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry at its next session (March 2026).

Again with reference to its previous comments on this matter, the Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that: (i) the consultation on the establishment of a minimum wage-fixing method took place with the following social partners: for the workers’ organizations, the Bolivarian Socialist Confederation of Men and Women Workers in Urban and Rural Areas and Fishing of Venezuela (CBST-CCP), the CTV, the Independent Trade Union Alliance Confederation of Workers (CTASI) and the CGT; for the employers’ organizations, FEDECAMARAS and FEDEINDUSTRIA; (ii) during the current year the consultative group held three sessions, two plenary sessions and two sectoral sessions (one for each sector), beginning on 20 January 2025 and concluding on 20 March 2025 with a report on results, drawn up collectively and submitted to the authorities; (iii) during the different consultation sessions the indicators provided by participants were discussed in depth, and grouped together in the report; and (iv) according to the Venezuelan Financial Observatory, the overall average wage of private sector workers was US$224,70 a month.

The Committee also notes from their joint observations that the APUCV, the SINTRAUCV, the APUFAT and the SUTRAUCV indicate that the wages of UCV workers, employees, professionals and teachers have not been adjusted since 15 March 2022, the date of the setting of the national minimum wage, which served as a basis for determining the salary scales of the different categories of workers. They indicate, however, that the real value of the minimum wage has fallen due to the constant drop in value of the bolivar. The Committee also notes from the observations of the CTV, FAPUV, CGT, UNETE and CODESA that the consultations held in the first quarter of 2025 did not result in setting an updated minimum wage. They report that the current monthly minimum wage is 130 bolivars, equivalent to less than one dollar (0.88 cents of a dollar), and losing value day by day due to the fall of the Bolivar. They also report that the situation is identical in the public administration, where pay scales are governed by minimum wage rates.

The Committee notes that the CUTV, for its part, indicates that the meetings on the minimum wage held in the first quarter of the current year, could not be considered as consultations, as: (i) various workers’ organizations were not included; (ii) the minimum wage has been frozen since 2022; and (iii) the indicators used by the Government are out of date and insufficient in terms of both the active labour force within the public administration, and of financial income from oil and taxation, and from other sources.

The Committee notes that FEDECAMARAS indicates in its observations that it participated actively in the meetings of the consultative group to fix a minimum wage convened in 2024 and 2025, during which meetings the social partners presented economic and statistical information reflecting the reality of the labour market and the capacity of enterprises.

FEDEINDUSTRIA also indicates taking part in all the meetings duly convened which led to the formulation and approval of a minimum wage-fixing method. It also states that after elaborating the method, a related report was submitted to the national executive with recommendations on the minimum wage.

In light of the above, the Committee notes that the consultations on the establishment of a minimum wage-fixing method were held, although certain trade union confederations did not participate in them. The Committee also observes that the consultations led to agreement on a wage-fixing method, which was transmitted via a report to the authority competent for fixing the minimum wage. The Committee notes with deep concern that no progress has been made in applying the said method and that the minimum wage has not been updated since 2022, despite the continuous and rising inflation. In this regard, the Committee once again recalls that the determination and maintenance, by the ratifying States, of the minimum wage-fixing machinery is not, strictly speaking, sufficient to comply with the requirements of the Convention, which additionally require the effective fixing of those wages. The Committee firmly urges the Government, with the participation of the employers’ and workers’ organizations concerned, to apply without delay the method or methods agreed upon for fixing the minimum wage. The Committee requests the Government to report on all progress in this regard.

Protection of wages

Articles 1 and 4 of Convention No. 95. Protection of all elements of remuneration. Payment in kind. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that bonuses, such as the Socialist Cestaticket (a food benefit) and of “economic war bonuses”, are not intended to replace wages, but rather to safeguard the purchasing power of family income in the context of the unilateral coercive measures imposed on the country. The Committee notes the CUTV’s indication in its observations that while in 2022 the minimum wage represented 74.28 per cent of a workers’ income, both in the private and public sectors, and the income derived from the Socialist Cestaticket, not considered to be wage-based, represented 25.72 per cent, in 2025, in the private sector, the wage represented 2.16 per cent and the Socialist Cestaticket 97.84 per cent; in the public sector, the minimum wage represented only 0.54 per cent, while the Socialist Cestaticket and the economic war bonus represented 99.46 per cent of income. In this connection, the CUTV indicates that the Social Appeals Chamber, in judgement No. 218 of 26 June 2025, stated that the “economic war bonus” does not relate to wages.

In its observations, the FEDECAMARAS indicates that the wage increase is replaced by non-wage-based bonuses and while minimum income has increased significantly, the proportion thereof that is wage-based is decreasing, and currently represents 0.5 per cent of monthly income. According to FEDECAMARAS, the reasons why there are resources to increase monthly income but not wages remain unclear and merit reflection to determine the legislative amendments required to achieve a balance between wages and non-wage benefits.

The Committee notes from the observations of the APUCV, the SINTRAUCV, the APUFAT, and the SUTRAUCV that since 2022, the Government has instigated the policy of replacing increases to the minimum wage by income in the form of benefits, such as the Socialist Cestaticket and the economic war bonus, equivalent to US$40 and US$90 respectively. According to those trade union organizations, these bonuses, which amount to 90 per cent of university workers’ income, are illegally denied wage-status, and are thus not included in the calculation of any social benefits, such as leave, holiday bonuses, end-of-year bonuses, social security benefits, compensation for terminating the employment relationship, payments to savings banks and to welfare funds.

Likewise, the FAPUV, the CGT, the CTV, the UNETE and the CODESA indicate that bonuses such as the Cestaticket and the economic war bonus are in practice not considered as wages, although they are so according to national legislation. They add that public administration workers have requested that the amount of the economic war bonus be included in the calculation of leave, but that the Government has not responded to the request.

The UNETE and CODESA indicate that the workers are losing all the socio-economic benefits associated with wages, such as holiday bonuses, end-of-year bonuses, professionalization bonuses, child benefit, social benefits, retirements, pensions and savings accounts, since the bonuses provided by the State are not taken into account in the calculation of those benefits.

In light of the above, the Committee once again notes with deep concern that almost all income received by workers in the public and private sectors is composed of bonuses that are not given wage-status. The Committee urges the Government to take the necessary measures without delay so that all the components of workers’ wages, regardless of how they are denominated or calculated, are protected by the Convention (in this connection, see the analysis made in previous years on this matter, in particular the observation adopted in 2017).

Articles 5 and 14. Electronic payment of wages. Information on constituent elements of wages. With regard to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that the payment of wages and of non-wage-based income and social protection are made via bank transfer to the workers’ accounts. The Government adds that in occasional cases where it is hard to access to digital platforms in villages or medium-sized towns, due to power outages or fluctuations in the grid or internet coverage, these issues are being addressed and resolved. The Government also states that the Patria system for payments to public administration workers does not exempt employers from liability: employers are held accountable for any errors or non-compliance in payments. It adds that oversight of these matters is the responsibility of the Governing Body of the Patria system and of the labour inspectorate, and not that of the electronic pay platforms.

The Committee also takes note of the CTUV’s indication that: (i) in the public sector, the web pages of the Government bodies through which payments are made, particularly in the health and education sectors, are not operational; (ii) the Patria system is not showing the pages for overtime hours and other bonuses; (iii) private sector employers use the public bank for wage payments but the services of a private enterprise for payment of the food benefit and overtime hours; and (iv) the wage slip only includes amounts paid by the public bank, and not payments made through the private enterprise, which can in some cases lead to fraud.

The Committee also notes that the FAPUV, CGT, UNETE, CODESA and CTV indicate that the electronic payment system provides certainty of the date of receipt by the worker, but that difficulties occur in obtaining a statement showing the wage and non-wage elements that make up the remuneration. Regarding the Patria system, they indicate that in practice the employer is cut out of the wage payment circuit, and that use of the system has resulted in the payment of incorrect amounts and the non-payment, inter alia, of overtime and back pay.

The Committee observes that although the Government asserts that the issues linked to electronic payment of wages and non-wage income are being resolved, various trade union organizations state that serious challenges persist in this regard, concerning both the proper functioning of the electronic platforms, and workers’ access to payslips including all the elements that make up the wage. The Committee requests the Government to ensure that all workers receive the total amount of their wages and non-wage income in timely fashion, as well as the related receipt of payment including all elements that make up the wage.

Article 12. Delayed payment of wages. Further to its earlier comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that payment of the wages of workers in the health sector has been made. The Committee notes this information, which responds to its earlier request.

[The Government is asked to reply in full to the present comments in 202 6 .]