Definitive Report - Report No 218, November 1982

1. 66. The complaint is contained in a communication from the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) dated 10 September 1982, The Government replied in a communication dated 20 October 1982.
2. 67. Chile has not ratified the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), or the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).

A. The complainant's allegations

1. 68. In its communication of 10 September 1982, the WFTU alleges that Mr. Silvio Victoriano Espinoza, leader of the Federation of Glass Workers, disappeared in the last week of August. Two weeks later he was expelled from the country, and is now in Sao Paulo without papers.

B. The Government's reply

1. 69. In its communication of 20 October 1982, the Government states that not only is Mr. Silvio Victoriano Espinoza not a trade union leader of the National Federation of Trade Unions of Workers in the Glass and Related Industries, the only federation of the glass branch of industry, but neither is he listed as a trade union leader in the official national registers. The Government has sent a statement from the Labour Inspectorate corroborating its assertions.

C. The Committee's conclusions

1. 70. The Committee observes that the complainant has alleged that Silvio Victoriano Espinoza, trade union leader of the Federation of Glass Workers, disappeared and was subsequently expelled from Chile. The Committee also notes that the Government has denied that Mr. Espinoza is a trade union leader and has sent a statement from the Labour Inspectorate corroborating this assertion. Therefore, taking account of the information supplied by the Government and in the absence of more precise information from the complainant, the Committee considers that it is not in a position to draw conclusions on the allegations presented.