May Day: Venezuelan Labour Law

[Die Neue Zeit]

http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/6884


“We are working and debating with the people to construct legal regulations which protect rights, stability and right to work... the labour law is an instrument for constructing the highest stage of socialism,” he stated, adding that one of the main goals of the new legislation will to be to eliminate sub-contracted labour.

http://www.eluniversal.com/economia/120430/new-venezuelan-labor-law-reduces-working-hours


Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez on Monday announced the shrinkage of working hours from 44 to 40 hours a week, upon the entry into force of the Labor Organic Law.

He specified that a maximum term of one year would be set so that companies can make the appropriate adjustments. Under a legally binding provision, employees will have two continued days of leave.

Further, the law establishes the removal of outsourcing; a "prudential term" will be set for its implementation.

At Simón Bolívar Hall, Miraflores presidential palace, the Head of State disclosed as well the setup of a superior body to enforce the new Labor Organic Law. The new agency will be attached to the Executive Office.

Except for these announcements, the final version of the law is still unknown, in addition to all the changes needed to move forward in the transition to socialism.

Chávez insisted on the recount of severance payment based on the last wage and years of service, as well as double dismissal pay in the event of unjustified layoff. "They are the rights of workers and their families. I am certain that with these achievements, with all those benefits, you will make a greater effort towards the domestic production, towards the building of socialism," he uttered.

[Grenzer]

This is all well and good, but it's kind of funny that he's still pretending as if they're trying to reach socialism. You can't even begin construction of socialism while the bourgeoisie are still around.

The important thing is more that Chavismo, if sustained in the long run, may well be able to create good conditions for proletarian dictatorship. In addition, it seems that many more left-wing leaning people in under-industrialized South American countries are looking at this as a possible model.

[Die Neue Zeit]

Venezuela needs a Third World Caesarean Socialist revolution or regime change. :(

[Grenzer]

Venezuela needs a Third World Caesarean Socialist revolution or regime change. :(

Yes, they are going on a VERY precarious edge right now. I am predicting that the neo-liberals will end up in charge, unfortunately. One of the things Chavez hasn't done is clamp down on the neo-liberal opposition enough.

[Die Neue Zeit]

One of the things Chavez hasn't done is clamp down on the neo-liberal opposition enough.

B-b-b-but that's always "a Bonapartist domination which by no stretch of the imagination equates to what Michael Parenti – an apologist for 'official communism' – calls 'a dictatorship of the proletarii, an instance of ruling autocratically against plutocracy on behalf of the citizenry's substantive interests.' Such a description is akin to projecting back in time contemporary Stalin, Mao, Castro, and Chavez myths" (Jack Conrad).

[Sorry, comrade Conrad, but even the otherwise comradely likes of you can be too much into gentlemen's history.]

[Grenzer]

B-b-b-but that's always "a Bonapartist domination which by no stretch of the imagination equates to what Michael Parenti – an apologist for 'official communism' – calls 'a dictatorship of the proletarii, an instance of ruling autocratically against plutocracy on behalf of the citizenry's substantive interests.' Such a description is akin to projecting back in time contemporary Stalin, Mao, Castro, and Chavez myths" (Jack Conrad).

[Sorry, comrade Conrad, but even the otherwise comradely likes of you can be too much into gentlemen's history.]

That seems to be the typical liberal criticism. The typical left criticism is that it doesn't go far enough, but I think there are a few problems with that. If I believed Venezuela could have a full proletarian revolution tomorrow, then I would support that. It seems like the proletariat are still in a minority though.

So then it becomes a question of what is the most conductive to the proletariat's long term political position. A combination of the systems of Russia's managed democracy, Belarus' anti-liberal repression, and the thuggery and pro-worker policies of Venezuela seem to be a good combination. The Maoists propose New Democracy, but I don't see how any system which includes the bourgeoisie as part of it is going to work out too well.

[REDSOX]

This is a significant step forward for workers rights and it will give the Trade unions the confidence to demand even more reform. From what i have seen so far of the new labour law it looks pretty good.

[el_chavista]

Beyond a lot of improvements in working conditions, only the issue of banning outsourcing and imprisonment for employers who violate the law are really innovative. Workers Councils are referred to but they will be normed in another law.
On the socialism Chávez and his followers (former guerrilla Stalinists along with social-democrat reformists) have in mind, I think that for them national liberation is still a step towards the social revolution in backward countries, as Marxism in Venezuela has not had a later development after the fall of the USSR.

[TheGodlessUtopian]

More good news than, am always happy to hear something positive from Venezuela (though I am concerned over the future).

[REDSOX]

Positive thinking comrade. Chavez will storm the elections this year and there will be more nationalisation and worker control. Cheer up, in Latin America we are winning all over the continent the left is in the ascendancy unlike sadly elsewhere but that will change

[Die Neue Zeit]

More news:

http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/6962


In what has been widely hailed as a victory for the working class in Venezuela, the country’s new labour law will see the working week reduced to 40 hours and maternity leave increased to 6.5 months. The law also seeks to eliminate private sub-contracted labour in Venezuela, which the government has previously described as an exploitative practice produced by the neo-liberal politics of the 1990s.

Recently returned from undergoing radiotherapy treatment in Cuba, Chavez signed the law on national television from the Miraflores Palace, stating that he was carrying out an act of “social justice” for Venezuelan workers at a time when labour rights were being rolled back across Europe and the United States.

“We have a law which will go down in history. That history...tells us that the triumph of the people, of the workers, has never come about without a long process of resistance, of struggle, suffering even. This law, which I will have the honour of signing...is the product of a long process of struggle,” he said.

[...]

Workers’ collectives have cited the re-establishment of a retirement bonus, determined by the workers’ monthly wage at the time of retirement multiplied by years in service, as one of the greatest gains represented by the new law. The bonus was eliminated in 1997 when Venezuela’s labour law was redrafted by the Caldera government in conjunction with big business and under pressure from the International Monetary Fund.

As well as re-establishing the retirement bonus and backdated pay for all workers retired since 1997, the new law will also re-instate “double” compensation pay in the event of unfair dismissal. This requirement was also eliminated during the 1997 reform and obliges the employer to pay wrongly-dismissed employees compensation amounting to double their retirement bonus.

[...]

Workers and political organisations have celebrated the signing of the legislation as a positive step towards creating a socialist society and dignifying the lives of Venezuelan workers. However, many organisations have also been quick to point out that the labour struggle is now more relevant than ever, arguing that issues such as the rights of informal sector workers and the role of socialist workers’ councils have not been adequately addressed within the current legislation.