CMNT_TITLE

Social Policy (Basic Aims and Standards) Convention, 1962 (No. 117) - Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (RATIFICATION: 1983)

Parts I and II of the Convention. Improvement of standards of living. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in September 2013. The Government indicates that a reduction in extreme poverty has been noted and that it fell from 17.1 per cent in 1998 to 7 per cent in 2012. The human development index of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in 2012 was 0.748, thus placing it among high human development countries. The Committee also notes that the Organic Labour Act (LOTTT), in section 97, provides that the State shall design policies to improve the conditions of families and increase their income, in co responsibility with society and the organizations of the people’s power. The Committee also notes the observations made by the Independent Trade Union Alliance (ASI) and the Government’s reply. The ASI expresses concern at the significant rise in the various price indices for food and the high scarcity rate of certain foodstuffs. The Committee refers to the comments that it has been making on the application of the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), and the Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142), and invites the Government to include in its next report on Convention No. 117 an updated synthesis of the results achieved and the initiatives undertaken to ensure that the “improvement of standards of living” has been regarded as the principal objective in the planning of economic development (Article 2 of the Convention). The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information on the results achieved by the measures taken to increase the productive capacity and improve the standards of living of agricultural producers (Article 4). The Committee also invites the Government to provide information on the measures taken to give effect to Article 5(1) of the Convention.

Part IV. Remuneration of workers. Advances on wages. The Committee notes that section 154 of the LOTTT provides that “for as long as the employment relationship lasts, the debts that men and women workers contract with their employer shall only be repayable, by week or by month, in amounts that may not exceed one third of the equivalent of a week or month of work, as appropriate”. The Government indicates that, with regard to the repayment of debts contracted by workers with their employers, during the year 2012, of the 18,874 inspections carried out, only 54 identified cases of non-compliance. Until April 2013, of the 11,532 inspections carried out, there were only 253 cases of non-compliance in relation to the repayment of debts. The Committee refers to its direct request of 2009 and once again invites the Government to provide in its next report rulings by courts of justice or updated copies of administrative decisions addressing the maximum amount and form of repayment of advances on wages which give effect to Article 12(2) and (3) of the Convention.