Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1994, published 81st ILC session (1994)

The Committee notes the Government's detailed report, in particular on Article 1, paragraph 3; Article 3, paragraph 4 and Article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2. It would be grateful if the Government would provide additional information on the following points.

Article 2, paragraph 2(b) of the Convention. The Committee notes Presidential Decree No. 2039 of 26.12.1991 to implement a new salary scale for administrative staff and technical assistants, applicable also to nursing personnel. It further notes that on 28.02.1992 the Nursing Association of Venezuela (Colegio de Enfermeras) was registered as a trade union organization, to represent its members in discussions with the Ministry of Health and Social Assistance to conclude collective agreements, and that a study was being undertaken to determine the classification of nursing personnel. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would send the new classification, once established.

As far as remuneration of nursing personnel who are not public employees is concerned, the Committee notes the collective agreement between the Venezuelan Institute for Social Security (IVSS) and the National Federation of Health Workers (FETRASALUD). The Committee requests the Government to communicate a table of salaries, to be established by the bipartite committee under clause No. 33 of the collective agreement.

Article 4. The Committee notes that the draft Act on the Practice of Nursing is still under consideration. It hopes that it will soon be enacted and asks the Government to keep it informed about any progress in this respect. The Committee also notes the information on academic qualifications of nursing personnel and asks the Government to inform it about future developments.

Article 5, paragraph 1. The Committee notes the information on the composition and functioning of the Health Board (Comisión Rectora de Salud) and the participation of representatives of nursing personnel in this body. It would be grateful if the Government would continue to communicate information about any developments in the planning of nursing services which are taking place in this Board.

Article 5, paragraph 3. The Committee notes from the Government's report that conflicts with nursing personnel have been resolved through methods of negotiation juridically based on the Law of the National Health System, the Labour Law and the present Convention, which together have allowed the settlement of the conflicts in a manner which was positive for the nursing personnel. The Committee asks the Government to indicate what machinery has been used in practice for the settlement of disputes, what bodies were involved and to which methods, such as negotiations, mediation, conciliation and voluntary arbitration they had recourse in the individual case.

The Committee takes note of the information supplied by the Government under point V of the report form. It asks the Government to continue to supply in the future reports on statistics and other information as required by this point of the report form.