Margarita Windisch, Caracas
Marcela Maspero, national coordinator of the National Union of Workers (UNT), told national newspaper Dario Vea that the UNT has reached consensus on reactivating 700 closed enterprises across Venezuela as part of its plan to deepen the process of workers' co-management.
According to Maspero, co-management allows workers to take an important part in the decision-making process of the particular enterprise and offers protection against recalcitrant bosses who do not respect the constitutionally enshrined labour laws.
The UNT also wants to propose that President Hugo Chavez initiate a "labour solvency" decree directed at enterprises that violate collective agreements, don't pay minimum wages or abuse labour laws, to cut them out of government contracts.
The decree would be ratified by the Ministry of Labour and apply to all businesses that apply for government loans or want to work with the government.