ORIT secretary general accuses President Chavez Frias of trade union violations

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Sunday, May 04, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Inter American Regional Worker's Organization (ORIT)  general secretary, Luis Anderson says the ORIT is closely following the situation in Venezuela and insists that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias has violated union freedoms.  

• ORIT is  International Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) American Continent regional office. 

"We have reported serious violations of International Labor Organizations agreements  No. 87 regarding union freedoms and No. 98 on collective bargaining processes."

Anderson has warned that these violations could affect Venezuela's international relations ... "in extreme cases, it could carry penalties from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organization (WHO)." 

Among other things, Anderson, whose ORIT office is housed in the Venezuelan Confederation of Trade Unions (CTV) building in Caracas, confirms that ORIT condemns the government's refusal to recognize CTV leaders, the arrest warrant against Carlos Ortega and the dismissal of the oil sector workers that joined the national stoppage.

The CTV had announced that Anderson would attend its May 1st march, but according to reports, Anderson thought it more prudent not to attend given the highly political content of the march.