Definitive Report - Report No 144, 1974

Case No 779 (Argentina) - Complaint date: 24-JAN-74 - Closed

1. 16. The complaint of the Buenos Aires Journalists' Association is contained in a communication dated 24 January 1974. A copy of this complaint was forwarded to the Government, which sent a reply on 7 May 1974.
2. 17. Argentina has ratified both 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

1. 18. In its communication of 24 January 1974 the complainant alleges that the Ministry of Labour has threatened to revoke its "trade union status" and its right to represent workers.
2. 19. In its letter of 7 May 1974 the Government states that it is of the opinion that the complaint does not provide a sufficient basis upon which to found a case. It states further that the conditions prevailing in the country have caused it to introduce anti-inflationary measures to prevent the constant diminution of the real value of incomes. For this purpose a National Accord dealing with salaries was drawn up by Government, employers and workers and is contained in Act No. 20517, which also affirmed the provisions of Act No. 14250 concerning the negotiation of collective agreements. Recently, according to the Government, wages and salaries have been adjusted according to these legal provisions. The Government adds that the principles of Convention No. 87 are applied in the country on the basis of a true coincidence of aims of Government and organised labour.

B. B. The Committee's conclusions

1. 20. The Committee considers that if ministerial revocation of the trade union status of the complainant organisation should effectively prevent it from exercising normal trade union functions, this would appear to call in question the principle established in Convention No. 87 according to which workers' and employers' organisations shall not be liable to be dissolved or suspended by administrative authority.

The Committee's recommendations

1. 21. Since, however, the complainant has not submitted any further information in substantiation of its complaint, although given the opportunity to do so, the Committee recommends the Governing Body to decide that this case does not call for further examination on its part.