A. M. The Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, Rolando Castro, assured this tuesday that El Salvador is prepared to sustain before the International Labor Organization (ILO) that the country does not violate union rights. The official affirmed to have “documented reports” that will demonstrate the tangible advances in terms of freedom of association and collective bargaining.
The country must present on June 6 a report before the ILO Committee on the Application of Standards, for alleged non-compliance with Convention 98, regarding the right to organize. This appearance takes place within the framework of the 113th International Labor Conference, the ILO’s main body.
Castro harshly criticized the Asociación Nacional de la Empresa Privada (ANEP), which he accused of acting with political motivations and of having promoted, together with international unions, the denunciation against the Salvadoran State. “It is paradoxical that ANEP denounces union freedom when in their companies they fire those who try to organize”, he said.
The minister also recalled that, in past administrations, when ANEP had strong influence in the government, they never questioned the labor policies of the State. “They didn’t complain because they were the government”, he said, alluding to the period of the Arena governments.
In addition to El Salvador, countries such as Honduras, Panama, Ecuador and Bolivia have also been called to appear before the ILO in this cycle, as well as others in Africa and Asia. This is not the first time that the country is included in such list; in 2017 and 2019 it had already faced observations for lack of tripartite dialogue and inactivity of the Superior Labor Council.
Castro concluded by reaffirming his support for the country’s “genuine and authentic” trade union movement, urging them to take advantage of the current context to fully exercise their rights within a framework that, he assures, has been strengthened.
