331st Session of the ILO Governing Body

Decision on the 14th item on the agenda:

Complaint concerning non-observance by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela of the Minimum Wage-Fixing Machinery Convention, 1928 (No. 26), the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144), made under article 26 of the ILO Constitution by several delegates to the 104th Session (2015) of the International Labour Conference

Conference paper | Institutional Section | 10 November 2017

Decision on the 14th item on the agenda: Complaint concerning non-observance by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela of the Minimum Wage-Fixing Machinery Convention, 1928 (No. 26), the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144), made under article 26 of the ILO Constitution by several delegates to the 104th Session (2015) of the International Labour Conference

The Governing Body, seriously concerned with, and deeply regretting, the lack of progress with respect to the decisions taken at its previous sessions:

(a) urged the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to engage in good faith in a concrete, transparent and productive dialogue based on respect for employers’ and workers’ organizations with a view to promoting solid and stable industrial relations;

(b) urged, for the last time, the Government to institutionalize before the end of 2017 a tripartite round table to foster social dialogue for the resolution of all pending issues, and to invite to that effect an ILO high-level mission led by the Officers of the Governing Body, to meet with government authorities, FEDECAMARAS and their member organizations and affiliated companies, as well as trade unions and leaders from all social sectors;

(c) requested the Director-General of the ILO to make available all necessary support in that regard and the Officers of the Governing Body to report back on the ILO high-level mission at the 332nd Session of the Governing Body (March 2018) on the determination of whether concrete progress had been achieved by means of the social dialogue fostered by the tripartite roundtable; (d) suspended the approval of a decision on the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry pending on the report of the high-level mission at its 332nd Session of the Governing Body (March 2018);

(e) decided that the cost of the high-level mission, estimated at $45,000, be financed in the first instance from savings that might arise under Part I of the budget for 2018–19 or, failing that, through the use of the provision for unforeseen expenditure, in Part II. Should this not prove possible, the Director-General would propose alternative methods of financing at a later stage in the biennium.

(Document GB.331/INS/14(Rev.), as drafted in the light of the Governing Body’s discussions.)