Following the passing of the new labour law yesterday, Venezuelans celebrated May Day en masse today, many catching buses to Caracas for the main march, others joining the smaller marches in cities and towns around the country.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has signed into law the country’s new labour legislation after a consultation process with the Venezuelan public which lasted nearly five months. The law will see the working week reduced to 40 hours and maternity leave increased to 6.5 months.
The Venezuelan foreign minister, Nicolas Maduro, has confirmed that the final stage of drafting the country’s new labour law is now underway. Expected to be passed on the 1st of May by presidential decree, the new labour law is a total overhaul of Venezuela’s existing employment legislation and will cover everything from maternity leave to organisation in the workplace.
Recently returned President Hugo Chavez addressed thousands of supporters on Saturday on the importance of the coming Venezuelan presidential elections and his state of health. Meanwhile, workers handed over 6,000 proposals to be integrated into the proposed new Labour Law.
A government decision to dismiss Elio Sayago from his post as worker-president at the state aluminium company, CVG Alcasa, has been met with widespread rejection from workers and social movements alike.
The reduction of the working day to a maximum of 7 hours, eliminating subcontracted work and increasing maternity leave to a period of 5 months are some of the proposals which have been put forward by thousands of workers across Venezuela in an effort to write the country’s new Labour Law, said President of the Socialist Bolivarian Workers’ Central, Will Rangel on Monday.
Over 27,500 Venezuelans have registered in the first two days of the government’s new Knowledge and Work mission, which aims to incorporate over 800,000 unemployed citizens into the labour market within the coming year.
A Presidential Commission to draft a new labour law was announced by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez yesterday, as workers handed over 656,815 signatures in support of the law.
Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez pledged to enact a new labour law this Thursday, as workers took to the streets of Caracas demanding “revolutionary” legislation to further advance the workers’ control project and improve working conditions.
National electricity workers are protesting post changes that they believe give power to the rightwing and override workers, while Sidor steel workers protested violence towards some of its workers as it runs union elections, and workers in the Bicentenario supermarkets demanded worker control and better conditions.
Last weekend, approximately 7,000 motorcyclists registered in a national census in accordance with a new law meant to prevent crime, promote organization, and regulate motorcycle usage in this crucial facet of Venezuela’s transportation and commercial system.
This Tuesday military chief Henry Rangel Silva revealed that over 40,000 hectares of land had been recovered and 15,000 people freed from conditions of “slavery” as part of Plan Caura, the Venezuelan government’s anti-illegal mining project.
On Sunday the Venezuelan Communist Party (PCV) concluded its XIV Congress in Caracas following 3 days of discussions. Over 526 national delegates and 43 international representatives attended the conference, which was convened in conjunction with the PCV’s 74th anniversary.
