Fedecamaras and CTV  tell ILO to uphold monopoly and block new group representation

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Sunday, June 08, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Controversy surrounding representation at the International Labor Organization (ILO) continues ... this time inside Geneva itself where former Federation of Chambers of Industry & Commerce (Fedecamaras) presidents, Eddo Poesel and Vicente Brito accuse President Hugo Chavez Frias of violating employer-worker relations. 

It would appear that the former Fedecamaras presidents, whose rights to be present at the ILO can be questioned, are waiting for the arrival of exiled Fedecamaras president Carlos Fernandez and exiled Venezuelan Confederation of Trade Unions (CTV) president, Carlos Ortega to put the latest opposition strategy into play, namely to put President Chavez Frias on trial internationally.  

The Venezuelan Labor Ministry supports Federation of Industries (Fedeindustria) president, Miguel Angel Perez Abad, Confederation of Farmers and Ranchers president, Jose Agustin Campos and Businessmen for Venezuela president, Alejandro Uzcategui as business representatives.

The problem is that Fedecamaras has traditionally been chosen as the representative body of Venezuela's business sectors and the CTV as trade union representative.

This time new business sectors endorsed by the government seek 5 of 10 technical assistance slots at the ILO general assembly, which Fedecamaras rejects. The new groups claim that no group should be allowed to monopolize the representation of the business sector.

On the trade union level, the newly created National Workers Union (UNT), which consists of powerful unions that split from CTV,  are demanding an end to CTV domination at ILO general assemblies.