Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

Nursing Personnel Convention, 1977 (No. 149) - Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (Ratification: 1983)

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s last report and the attached documentation.

Article 2, paragraph 2(b), in conjunction with Article 5, paragraph 2, of the Convention. Further to its previous comment regarding the establishment of wage scales for nursing personnel, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that wage scales are provided for in section 24 of the collective agreement concluded in 2002 between the Ministry of Health and Social Development (MSDS) and the Federation of Nurses Associations (FCEV). Noting that, as provided for in section 92, the 2002 collective agreement was to remain effective for a period of two years, the Committee would be grateful to the Government for forwarding a copy of any new agreement which may have replaced it in the meantime. It would also appreciate receiving copies of any similar collective agreement currently in force for nursing staff employed in the private sector.

Article 4. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Bill on Nursing Personnel is currently before the Permanent Commission for Social Development, for discussion and approval. Considering the importance of such legislation for the development of the nursing profession and the improvement of nursing care services in the country, the Committee hopes that the Government will adopt the said Bill shortly and will attach a copy to its next report.

Article 7. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that Decision No. 439 of the Ministry of Health and Social Development is still in force. Additionally, the Committee notes with interest the legal opinion No. 71 of the Legal Department of the Ministry of Labour, which complements Decision No. 439 and specifies the constitutional and other guarantees concerning the employment protection of HIV-infected persons. The Committee would thank the Government for continuing to provide information on any new measures taken or envisaged in order to improve the occupational safety and health conditions of nursing personnel.

Part V of the report form. The Committee notes with interest the study provided by the Government giving an estimate of the budgetary implications of the increase of the various wage supplements and benefits provided for in the 2002 collective agreement for nursing personnel. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply in its next report all available information on the practical application of the Convention, including, for instance, statistics on the nurses/population ratio, the evolution of the nursing workforce both in rural and urban areas, the number of students enrolled in nursing schools and the number of persons leaving the nursing profession every year, copies of official reports or recent studies examining the employment and working conditions of nursing personnel, etc. The Committee would particularly appreciate receiving general information on any broader difficulties affecting the health sector (e.g. redundancies, internal or international migration of nursing personnel, shortage of qualified nurses, salary reductions, delayed payment of wages, loss of purchasing power of wages).