Given that the Venezuelan government has ignored its commitments before the International Labor Organization (ILO), local trade union organizations affirm that the ongoing negotiations should take the report of the ILO Commission of Inquiry as a starting point in the recovery of labor and union rights

The third round of talks in Mexico closed with a partial agreement that proposes extending consultation mechanisms to other political and social actors at the national and international level.

The purpose of the proposal is to increase the number of voices and topics to discuss in the negotiations, especially those regarding the most pressing social and economic problems.

For this reason, trade unions such as the Venezuelan Observatory on Trade Union Freedom and the Workers’ Confederation of Venezuela welcome the proposal with some reservations.

Although the negotiation table is finally moving to include social actors, the latter question whether the consultation mechanisms represent a real inclusion of union leaders and the direct victims of the Venezuelan crisis in the National Board of Social Assistance created in the Mexican process.

In this sense, the national director of the Workers’ Confederation of Venezuela, José Elías Torres, considered that the Venezuelan trade unions should be integrated into the National Board of Social Assistance to present proposals related to the well-being of workers and the increase in the purchasing power of the Venezuelan family.

“We share the good intention, but it must be clear if it will be a consultation or if we are going to be incorporated into the talks. Are we going to settle for telling them what to ask for, or should we take part? We welcome the inclusion of the social actors, but it must include a conversation with them,” said Mr. Torres stressed during a press conference via Zoom.

This position was shared by the president of the Venezuelan Observatory on Trade Union Freedom, Jacquelin Richter, who believes that the situation of Venezuelan workers should be addressed at the negotiation table, and for this, it is essential to count on the voice of union representatives.

“We welcome yesterday’s agreement on opening up a consultation to social actors in order to tackle the complex humanitarian emergency but, are we going to be consulted or are we going to be integrated into the talks? The time has come to open up spaces to those who know the reality first hand, “she stressed.

Richter, a professor at the Central University of Venezuela, also recalled an already existing agenda that involves the Maduro Government but has not had any response in two years. She refers to a report issued by the Commission of Inquiry of the International Labor Organization (ILO) that made recommendations to improve the situation of workers in the country and highlighted fundamental aspects such as tripartite negotiations to increase wages or the end of the persecution against union activists.

“There is a pending agenda that could help. I believe that they should begin to discuss, advance in the reconstruction of the country, and think about productive employment, with protection and social justice, ” Richter said.

The ILO has been ignored

The recommendations have been practically ignored by the Maduro government, which has only partially complied with two of them. In the first case, the Venezuelan State responded to the request for the release of employers or unionists imprisoned for exercising their trade union activities.

The government decided to partially comply by releasing some political prisoners, as was the case of Rubén González, a union leader of the state-owned mining company Ferrominera, who received a pardon after 20 months of unjustified imprisonment.

However, other leaders remain behind bars and even a Ferrominera worker, Rodney Álvarez, was sentenced to 15 years for a murder that he did not commit. Álvarez had spent 10 years in prison without a sentence.

On the other hand, the ruling party also complied with the recommendation to discuss collective contracts again. However, these conversations have been held with organizations that do not really represent the workers or their needs. That is why Richter insists that “the legitimate representatives of the workers must be seated at the table.”

The other recommendations have not been taken into consideration and the context for Venezuelan trade unions looks more complex by the day, with a minimum wage that sits at less than 2 dollars a month, without insurance policies or employment benefits.

Trade unionists call for urgent changes

Faced with such an unfavorable context, José Elías Torres highlights that it is essential to focus on a change of model, given that the negotiation of a new collective contract will not solve the serious crisis that trade unionists and Venezuelan workers are currently experiencing.

Instead, they call for a shift of economic paradigms and government policies in order to have a healthy economy that allows companies to sustain strong wages and improve the purchasing power of every worker.

“Collective bargaining is the spirit of the union struggle, but it takes a back seat under the current situation. It means wasting time because this government is not capable of offering a model that guarantees the well-being of the population, ” he stressed.

For Torres, the solution involves a consolidated agreement between federations and union associations, which facilitates the design of a strategy that offers concrete alternatives to improve the social and employment situation of workers.

He also emphasizes that the improvement of wages depends on three factors that can serve as the basis for a gradual increase, but political will is also required.

The union leader affirms that the conversation about wages must bear in mind Article 91 of the Constitution, which establishes annual minimum wage adjustments based on the cost of the basic food basket; Convention 26 of the report of the ILO Commission of Inquiry, which speaks of a tripartite negotiation between the State, employers, and workers to define wages; and finally, the standard of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of 1.90 dollars a day as a parameter to determine extreme poverty.

«The negotiation must start from those three aspects. We have never spoken of 300, 400, or 500 dollars a month because the question will then be how to do it. That is a mistake, we must start from the reality, “he clarified.

Translated by José Rafael Medina