Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2017, published 107th ILC session (2018)

Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (Ratification: 1964)

The Committee notes the observations of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and the Federation of Chambers and Associations of Commerce and Production of Venezuela (FEDECAMARAS), received on 31 August 2016 and 31 August 2017. The Committee also notes the observations of the National Union of Workers of Venezuela (UNETE), the Confederation of Workers of Venezuela (CTV), the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) and the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions (CODESA), received on 12 October 2016 and 18 September 2017. It also notes the Government’s replies to the social partners’ observations of 2016, received on 11 November 2016.

Article 1 of the Convention. Contribution of the employment service to the promotion of employment. Application of the Convention in practice. The Committee notes that the Government refers in its report to the creation of the Social Welfare Divisions (DPS), which coordinate with the Meeting Centres for Education and Work (CEET) to provide services in the fields of labour, education and social security. The DPS are entities attached to the People’s Ministry of Labour which provide comprehensive labour information and guidance services for persons with disabilities, migrant workers, non-dependent workers and applicants for the “involuntary loss of employment” benefit. The Government also supplies information on the activities carried out by the CEET between 2014 and 2016 in cooperation with various state bodies. In this respect, the Government indicates that between January and November 2014 the CEET provided assistance for 72,269 workers, of which 35,938 were registered; 30,811 were included in the training sphere and 1,874 were included in the spheres of labour and social production; and 3,646 applied for jobs. In 2015, the competencies and functions of the CEET were modified with the aim of developing “ongoing and comprehensive group self-training” for workers, and assistance was provided for 108,079 workers. In 2016, a total of 92,326 workers were registered who received guidance and training from the CEET, and 3,120 workers were organized into 266 teams of “promoters of ongoing and comprehensive group self-training”. In addition, a “pilot comprehensive support plan” for young persons and students was drawn up with the aim of promoting the active participation of young persons in the social process of labour. The Government adds that in 2015 and 2016, a total of 205,079 workers facing termination of employment were registered and given guidance for their integration into the social process of labour. The Committee notes that the IOE and FEDECAMARAS maintain in their observations that the CEET continue to be non-operational. The workers’ confederations (UNETE, CTV, CGT and CODESA) indicate that the Government has not implemented the system for the registration of employment requirements and vacancies established under the Act concerning the Major Knowledge and Labour Mission, so that in practice no register exists to enable forecasting and identification of the numbers and characteristics of unemployed workers. The Committee requests the Government to send detailed information, including statistics disaggregated by sex and age, on the number of applications for employment received, the number of vacancies notified and the number of persons placed in employment by the CEET and the DPS. The Committee also requests the Government to provide up-to-date information on the impact of measures adopted to meet the needs of young persons regarding employment and vocational guidance, including those adopted as part of the pilot comprehensive support plan.

Articles 4 and 5. Cooperation of the social partners. The Government refers in its report to the system of organization of labour entities in the production chain. However, the Committee observes that the information supplied by the Government does not contain a reply to its previous comments. The Committee recalls that Article 5 of the Convention provides that the general policy of the employment service must be developed after consultation of representatives of employers and workers. The Committee notes that FEDECAMARAS and the IOE indicate that the Government is still failing to comply with the abovementioned Article of the Convention and maintain that FEDECAMARAS has not been consulted with regard to the formulation and implementation of the general employment service policy. The Committee requests the Government to send its comments in this regard. The Committee also requests the Government once again to provide specific examples of previous consultations held with the employers’ and workers’ organizations with a view to securing their cooperation in the organization and functioning of the public employment service.