At the UN’s International Labor Organization (ILO) XVth regional meeting for the Americas, trade union, government and employer representatives adopted conclusions calling for balanced globalization and effective measures to overcome the crisis in the region, emphasizing the importance of fundamental international labor standards.

The December 10-13 meeting, which took place in Lima, Peru, also spelled more bad news for embattled Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, whose nomination for workers’ delegate, Venezuelan Marcella Maspero, was challenged by the meeting’s Credentials Committee after her credentials were objected to by the ICFTU’s Regional Organization for the Americas, ORIT.

In upholding the ICFTU-ORIT’s objection, the meeting’s Credentials Committee heavily criticized the Venezuelan government for excluding the main trade union confederation, the ICFTU-affiliated CTV, from the nomination process, noting that this "appears to result from interference with the independence of workers’ organizations".

A joint statement agreed during the meeting between the ICFTU’s Regional Organization for the Americas, ORIT, and the International Organization of Employers also stressed the grave concerns about the current crisis in Venezuela, emphasizing the need for dialogue to bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

The ICFTU represents 158 million workers in 231 affiliated organizations in 150 countries and territories. ICFTU is also a member of Global Unions: http://www.global-unions.org