ICEM UPDATE
No. 47/1999
20 August 1999

The following is from the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM):

WORLD LABOUR CONDEMNS VENEZUELAN UNION BAN

Venezuela's new emergency decree has been roundly condemned by eight labour internationals representing more than 95 million workers worldwide.

Measures in the decree adopted by the Venezuelan National Constituent Assembly include:

• the complete dissolution of national and regional trade union confederations and federations
• the annulment of trade union leaders' mandates
• a ban on union leaders' travelling abroad
• a 90-day suspension of election processes within all labour-related bodies
• the seizure of trade union property and assets.

In a joint statement issued in Panama on 16 August, the eight union internationals stress that the measures are a flagrant violation of the Conventions of the UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO) and also breach UN and Interamerican treaties on basic human rights. As the unions point out, the decree "contradicts in every respect" the "great transformations that the Venezuelan government plans to undertake in order to steer the country's destiny back towards the paths of Democracy, Justice, Transparency and Freedom."

The union internationals demand that Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez and National Assembly chairman Luis Miquelena should:

• revoke the decree
• relaunch national dialogue between the Venezuelan trade union movement and the government
• fully guarantee the free exercise of trade union activity in Venezuela.

Signing the unions' joint statement were the regional representatives of the International Federation of Building and Woodworkers (IFBWW), the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation (ITGLWF), the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF) and the Postal, Telegraph and Telephone International (PTTI).

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Editor: Ian Graham, Information Officer
Publisher: Vic Thorpe, General Secretary.