Suites données aux recommandations du comité et du Conseil d’administration - Rapport No. 318, Novembre 1999

Effect given to the recommendations of the Committee and the Governing Body

1. 86. At its last examination of the case in March 1999 (see 313th Report, paras. 285-303), the Committee: (1) again requested the Government to ensure the reinstatement in their posts of the union officials and members who had been dismissed or transferred (Glácido Gutiérrez, Rubén Gutiérrez, Tomás Arencibia, Juan Bautista and Ignacio Díaz, and a considerable number of union members), and to keep it informed of any decision or ruling that might be handed down; and (2) as regards the allegations concerning the summoning of Tomás Arencibia and Glácido Gutiérrez to appear before a prefecture and the request for a police presence by the Eastern Fire Brigade Association when the union officials in question were at the Association's headquarters, the Committee requested the Government to carry out an investigation into these allegations and, if acts of intimidation or anti-union discrimination were found to have taken place, to take the necessary measures to prevent any recurrence and punish those responsible.
2. 87. In a communication dated 12 October 1999, the Government states that on 8 October 1999 a meeting took place at the headquarters of the Ministry of Internal Relations involving representatives of: the municipal authorities of Baruta, Chacao and Sucre; the Eastern Fire Brigade Association; the Governor of the State of Miranda; the trade union SINPROBOM; and the National Constituent Assembly, with a view to reaching an agreement to stop the hunger strike; an agreement was duly signed providing for the allocation of funds to pay the claims of SINPROBOM members and officials who had been reinstated, including back arrears of wages. The Government indicates that Mr. Tomás Arencibia and Mr. Glácido Gutiérrez enjoy complete physical freedom within the premises of the Eastern Fire Brigade Association, where there is no police presence, and have the use of their own area for union activities, as was evident from the meeting previously referred to at the fire brigade premises between SINPROBOM and Ministry of Labour
   • representatives.
3. 88. The Committee takes note of this information, from which it infers that the trade union officials and members of the complainant organization who were dismissed in 1997 have been reinstated in their posts and that discussions are taking place on payment of wage arrears. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed in this regard. Lastly, given that the Government has not replied to the allegation concerning the summoning of the trade union officials Tomás Arencibia and Glácido Gutiérrez to appear before a prefecture, the Committee requests the Government to take measures to prevent acts which could be interpreted as intimidation of trade union officials.