Photo right: 19 October 2015: Ms Claudia Coenjaerts, ILO, meets with the Hon. Soewarto Moestadja and his team at the Ministry of Labour, Suriname.

Photo centre: 8 October 2015: Ms Claudia Coenjaerts, ILO, meets with Sen. the Hon. Jennifer Baptiste-Primus and her team at the Ministry of Labour and Small Enterprise Development, Trinidad and Tobago (left).

Photo left: 11 November 2015: Ms Claudia Coenjaerts, ILO, meets with Dr. Didacus Jules, OECS Director General at the OECS Secretariat, Saint Lucia.

Newsletter of the ILO Decent Work Team and Offi ce for the Caribbean October - December 2015

Caribbean

NEWSLINK

I will soon mark six months of my tenure with the ILO Decent Work Team and Offi ce for the Caribbean. It has been so enriching to meet many of our constituents and I look forward to visiting the remaining countries soon.

Clearly, our partnerships with you are strong and long-standing, and the relevance of the Decent Work Agenda could not be more prominent.

As the “2015 Labour Overview of Latin America and the Caribbean” indicated: unemployment rates are rising as a result of the continued economic slowdown. Increasing informality and a deterioration of the employment situation of youth in particular are signifi cant concerns. Many of the social partners I visited are worried about departing multinationals, near bankruptcy of large state enterprises, closure of companies or simply the lack of new investment and job creation, the challenges of low competitiveness and low productivity.

These are real problems that concern us and preoccupy our thoughts. They are urgent and can only be addressed successfully with policies that are constructed through solid social dialogue and policy coherence. It is my hope that the ILO can assist you in that process. We need ingenuity and determination.

The ILO has many tools available to help implementation and I am wholly committed to continue to build an ever stronger programme for the Caribbean in 2016, one where the focus is on implementation and action. The Climate Change Agreement that concluded in Paris in December 2015 recognizes that addressing climate change also requires actions in employment and social inclusion. This is of extreme importance to Small Island Developing States and I invite you to engage with us on how a just transition of the workforce and the creation of decent work in a green economy can be pursued.

Message from Claudia CoenjaertsDirector, ILO Decent Work Team and Offi ce for the Caribbean

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2015 Labour Overview for Latin America and the Caribbean

1.7 million join ranks of

the unemployed

The ILO’s 2015 Labour Overview indicates that the economic slowdown has caused a rise in unemployment, particularly among women and young people, and there are signs of increased informality. The situation is worrying and poses policy challenges to the countries of the region. Unemployment could rise again in 2016. In 2015 the unemployment rate increased for the fi rst time in fi ve years to 6.7 per cent, causing at least 1.7 million people to join the ranks of the unemployed, according to the ILO’s annual report.

The 2015 Labour Overview of Latin America and the Caribbean warned of a “turnaround” in the employment indicators with a deterioration in the employment situation of women and youth and indications of rising informality through “increased generation of lower quality jobs”.

Because of slow growth forecasts for the region the ILO estimates that in 2016 the average unemployment rate could increase further to 6.9 per cent.

The main rise in unemployment occurred in South America where it increased from 6.8 per cent to 7.6 per cent and the Caribbean increased from 8.2 per cent to 8.5 per cent. However, a fall was recorded in Central America and Mexico, from 5.2 per cent to 4.8 per cent.The average unemployment rate for the region rose from 6.2 per cent in 2014 to 6.7 per cent in 2015. From this we estimate that regionally, unemployment increased by 1.7 million and therefore “the total number of people affected by a lack of jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean is around 19 million,” said Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, ILO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. He also commented on the quality of jobs: There are indications of a slowdown in wage growth and a reduction in the generation of wage and salaried work, with an increase in self-employment, which can be associated with poor working conditions.

Mr Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, ILO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean

More than half of those newly unemployed are women. The unemployment rate of women has increased from 7.7 per cent in 2014 to 8.2 per cent in 2015, according to the ILO’s Labour Overview, equivalent to 1.4 times the rate of men.

The regional report explains that the rate of labour force participation of women resumed an upward trend, but the employment rate was more moderate and that “The unemployment rate can be attributed to the greater infl ux of women into the labour market”.

Youth unemployment also increased, following several years of a decreasing rate, meaning that “the trend has changed” for this group as well. As is the case with the general employment rate, the youth unemployment rate varied between countries and an improvement has been observed in about half of the countries in the region. The average for the region saw a rise from 14.5 per cent to 15.3 per cent. The report warns that “Unless policies are put in place to boost the quantity and quality of youth employment, the emerging economic situation could further aggravate this situation”.

The ILO’s Labour Overview states that in the short term, the situation of higher unemployment and informality should be managed with social and labour market policies specifi cally aimed at protecting jobs and incomes.

For more information visit: www.ilo.org/caribbean/newsroom/WCMS_435185

In October 2014, the CARICOM Secretariat began implementing a regional project on “The Establishment of a Labour Market Information System for Proper Management of the Regime for Free Movement of skills within the CSME”. This project is being funded by the European Union (EU) with €1.7m and will continue until March 2017. The ILO is a member of the steering committee of this project, alongside the University of the West Indies (UWI), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and others. In its role as advisor, the ILO has strived to ensure the results of this project are compatible with previous work on LMIS that the ILO has supported member States on over the years. In addition, instead of developing a standalone IT tool from scratch as foreseen by the project, the ILO proposed to use the “.Stat” statistical dissemination IT tool to build the LMIS on. Due to sustained high demand from constituents, the ILO has joined the OECD hosted .Stat development community, with the aim of customising the IT tool for labour market information dissemination. It will be proposed to member States as part of its new global LMIS Programme.

In October and November 2015, the CARICOM Secretariat convened three regional member State meetings, one in Barbados, as well as two virtual meetings, to discuss the regional LMIS and the collaboration between CARICOM and the ILO. It was agreed that a regional LMIS would be set up and hosted by the CARICOM Secretariat, to be populated by the national data systems. The main source for data collection for the LMIS would be the Labour Force Survey (LFS), which has to be carried out at regular intervals to provide up-to-date data and to enable the identifi cation of trends. While some countries such as Jamaica carry out an LFS once every three months, it is recommended to be undertaken at least once a year. Political and fi nancial support would have to be secured in every country to maintain the relevance of the LMIS over time.

Participants recognised that the regional LMIS would require the harmonization of national classifi cations, for example on Occupations (ISCO) and Industries (ISIC), as well as other classifi cation criteria. During the meetings it became very clear that a wide range of services and agencies would need to be involved, both at the CARICOM level and the national level, including Statistics, Information Technology, National Insurance Services and Ministries like Labour and Finance.

It was further agreed by member States that the LMIS should use the .Stat IT tool, which would allow the Caribbean to become the fi rst region to benefi t from the ILO global LMIS Programme in this regard. A memorandum

of understanding between ILO, CARICOM and participating member States would be put in place to this effect.

The ongoing EU-funded project, implemented by CARICOM through its consultants, is the catalyst to achieving an effective LMIS. CARICOM has asked the ILO to work with its consultants on the elaboration and defi nition of the relevant indicators; the building of the IT .Stat tool; as well as the training of the consultants. The consultants are tasked with the roll-out to member States as well as for their training.

CARICOM’s EU-funded project is an ambitious one, particularly in view of the tight timeframe. However, with the strong support, commitment and dedication of all parties involved, this project can achieve a major breakthrough in the long-awaited and much-needed labour market information system in the Caribbean.

The ILO has been supporting member States in the area of labour statistics and LMIS over many years. Previous work by the ILO Decent Work Team and Offi ce for the Caribbean includes the development of a labour administration tool for Caribbean countries which generates labour market related statistics from administrative records. This Tool has already been rolled out to several Caribbean member States. It is being used in countries such as Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Administrative records from for example labour inspections and industrial relations disputes are an important source of information but represent only about 20 per cent of a full-scale LMIS, which generates the majority of its data from Labour Force Surveys.

Globally, the ILO has worked on the development of labour statistics for almost 100 years. The fi rst International Conference of Labour Statisticians was held in Geneva in 1923, and the most recent one in 2013. Key Labour Market and Decent Work Indicators have been developed and implemented by the ILO and its member States. The International Labour Convention on Labour Statistics, Convention No. 160, was adopted in 1985. Although it has not been ratifi ed by any of the Caribbean countries, it remains a guiding document for the region.

Good policy-making has to be based on facts and evidence. A labour market information system can help policy-makers in developing evidence-based labour policies, employment policies, and many other related policies. Eleven countries in the Caribbean have identifi ed the strengthening of their LMIS as one of the priorities in their Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs). Although many of these DWCPs will be reviewed in the near future, we can already see from the above and in the light of the Sustainable Development Goal indicators to be implemented, that improved labour market information remains very high on the agenda for the Caribbean region.

The Caribbean moves towards a strengthened LMIS

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ILO and Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies renew collaboration

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has extended its collaboration with the Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies for a further three-year period.

The ILO renewed its Agreement with the College, which includes a commitment to the ILO Library housed at the College, assistance with the College’s academic programmes, and guest lectures. The agreement was signed on 1 December 2015, by Ms Claudia Coenjaerts, Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Offi ce for the Caribbean and Dr Denise-Margaret Thompson, Director, Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies (CCLCS).

Both Directors are keen to strengthen links between CCLCS and the training arm of the ILO’s International Training Centre based in Turin, Italy, which runs training, learning and capacity development services for governments, employers, workers and other national and international partners in support of Decent Work and sustainable development.

The Agreement between the ILO and the CCLCS started in 2000 when the ILO donated its Library collection to the College’s Valsayn Campus. Support for this ILO partner Library is ongoing. The collection is now housed in a purpose built library at the College. Prior to this, there were several years of collaboration between the CCLCS and the ILO. For example, in 1966, the ILO secured the services of the fi rst Director of the College, Mr. Max Swerdlow of the Canadian Labour College and in 1974, identifi ed Professor Howard Whitney to develop the fi rst cooperative programme.

The ILO has supported the work of the College through several guest lectures, notable among these was in 2007 when Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, then Director, International Labour Standards Department, ILO, Geneva featured as a special guest lecturer at the College. In 2011 the CCLCS and the ILO jointly offered a two-week training course to support the introduction of a new Labour Market Information System (LMIS) for members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

Claudia Coenjaerts, Director, Decent Work Team and Offi ce for the Caribbean stated that, “building capacity around the various aspects of the decent work agenda is fundamental to bringing it to life. This is a large and complex mandate. We see our partnership with Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies as a great opportunity to increase access to information about decent work to both workers and the society at large. We are proud to work with such a well-established institution

as CCLCS, and through our work with them we also reach other labour colleges and programmes in the region. Increasingly others are calling on CCLCS for support in areas like Occupational Safety and Health for example. By working together we can multiply our impact.”

Dr Denise-Margaret Thompson, Director, CCLCS said “The College is delighted to continue its collaboration with the International Labour Organization a specialized agency of the United Nations. As the only tertiary academic institution in the region, Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies plays a major role in empowering the present and future working people both locally and regionally. Still ‘the people’s institution’ under the Ministry of Labour, the continuing mandate to provide accessible, high quality worker education, training and research in associated areas of Labour and Co-operative Studies remains central. Our mission and mandate raises the capacity and consciousness of working individuals and communities of Trinidad and Tobago and the region, in ongoing commitment to the ILO tripartite focus on Government, Workers and Employers.”

The ILO has committed to providing further guest lectures both from specialists based at the Offi ce for the Caribbean and also from those specialists who may be visiting from the Regional Offi ce in Lima or HQ in Geneva. The ILO is looking into the possibility of delivering ILO training programmes to the region through close collaboration with the College.

Ms Claudia Coenjaerts, Director of the ILO DWT and Offi ce for the Caribbean (right) and Dr Denise-Margaret Thompson, Director, CCLCS (left) sign the Cooperation Agreement

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ILO Governing Body adopts guidelines on sustainable development, decent work and green jobs

The ILO’s executive body has adopted new Guidelines aimed at enabling governments, workers and employers around the globe to leverage the process of structural change towards a greener, low-carbon economy, create decent jobs on a large-scale and promote social protection.The Guidelines allow the practical country-level application of a set of Conclusions focused on achieving sustainable development, decent work and green jobs. The Conclusions were adopted by tripartite constituents of the ILO’s 186 member States at the 2013 International Labour Conference (ILC).

The Guidelines were drafted by a tripartite meeting of experts convened from 5-9 October 2015. The Meeting was chaired by an independent Chairperson, Minister Esther Byer-Suckoo (Barbados); Vice-Chairpersons were Ms Vanessa Phala (Employer expert from South Africa) and Mr Kjeld Jakobsen (Worker expert from Brazil).

Based on evidence and lessons learned from country-level policies and sectoral strategies geared towards environmental sustainability, greening enterprises, social inclusion and the promotion of green jobs, the Guidelines include:

• Employment-centred macroeconomic and growth policies;

• Environmental regulations in targeted industries and sectors;

• Creating an enabling environment for sustainable and greener enterprises;

• Social protection policies to enhance resilience and safeguard workers from the negative impacts of climate change, economic restructuring and resource constraints;

• Labour market policies that actively pursue job creation, limit jobs loss and ensure that adjustments related to greening policies are well-managed;

• Occupational safety and health policies to protect workers from occupational hazards and risks;

• Skills development to ensure adequate skills at all levels to promote the greening of economy;

• The establishment of mechanisms for social dialogue throughout policymaking processes at all levels, and

• Policy coherence and institutional arrangements for the mainstreaming of sustainable development and ensuring stakeholder dialogue and coordination between policy fi elds.

For more information visit: www.ilo.org/global/topics/green-jobs/news/WCMS_403166

According to Dr Esther Byer-Suckoo, Chair of an expert level green jobs meeting at the ILO in Geneva, moving the global economy on to an environmentally sustainable footing is going to be a “turbulent” experience. However, properly managed, it will have profoundly positive implications both for the future of the globe and the Decent Work Agenda.

Speaking during an interview in Geneva, Senator Dr the Hon. Esther R. Byer-Suckoo, Minister of Labour, Social Security and Human Resource Development for Barbados, said that the need for transition is urgent: “We do have to shift from the old carbon based economies. Being from a small island state myself we see fi rst-hand the damage that climate change has caused to our environment. So I don’t think we have a choice, we have to change.”

The ILO meeting, to revise and adopt “policy guidelines for a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all” involving government, worker and employer experts, concluded with a package of proposals. These will enable actors in the world of work to fully engage in the implementation of the expected outcomes of the Paris 2015 climate change conference (COP21), with appropriate policy tools and instruments.The expert Meeting addressed three main challenges arising from the changes they see coming in the global economy and the world of work, namely: Job losses in those sectors of the global economy undergoing transformation; adaptation costs and strategies for those industries, regions and countries affected adversely by climate change; and the socially regressive impact of policies that lead to higher prices for energy.

Dr Byer-Suckoo stressed that achieving environmental sustainability and generating enough decent work opportunities is not an “either/or” proposition. The two must be addressed in tandem.

“When you change from one type of economy to another you will lose some sorts of activities and some sorts of jobs related to those, but new ones will emerge. People will have to develop new skills, they will have to be trained for the new jobs that present themselves.” Byer-Suckoo added that decent work must be a key element of the transition. For more information and audio interview visit:

www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_413213

Barbados’ Labour Minister speaks on green jobs and decent work

Dr Esther Byer-Suckoo

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ILO conducts pilot testing workshop on

begin and expand your cooperative

The issue of formalization of the economy was one of the eight Areas of Critical Importance (ACIs) identifi ed by the ILO. In June 2015 at the International Labour Conference (ILC) delegates agreed to Recommendation No. 204 concerning the Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy. During the ILC discussion it was recognized that higher levels of formalization have positive outcomes for all stakeholders. Governments receive more tax revenue to support spending in health, education and infrastructure. Employers in the formal sector face unfair competition from enterprises that charge lower prices for goods and services by not paying tax or social security contributions and workers in the formal sector receive the protection of labour laws – including health and safety provisions – which are not extended in informal workplaces.

In July 2014, the ILO approved a Project on the “Formalization of the Informal Economy” for Jamaica. Since November 2014, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in Jamaica, in partnership with the ILO, began to expose selected small business participants

in the Horseguard/Garlands and Granville communities to elements of entrepreneurship.

The ILO held a Train-the-Trainers workshop from 28 September to 2 October 2015, Over 20 participants were selected, including those from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security; the Ministry of Tourism; the Labour movement; and the Small Business Association. The Workshop held in Montego Bay, was conducted by Mr Kelvin Sergeant, ILO Sustainable Enterprise Development and Job Creation Specialist and Mr Hassan Ndahi, ILO Skills and Employability Senior Specialist.

Participants were taken through the stages of formulating business ideas, operating and organizing businesses to the legal aspects of business, as well as costing and fi nancial planning. They were also introduced to negotiations using the ILO Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) buying and selling game. The participants heard experiences from an established entrepreneur and they brain-stormed about challenges and solutions for micro-businesses.

A pilot testing workshop took place in Nassau, Bahamas from 17-19 November 2015 using the recently produced ILO training manual on cooperatives which consists of three modules: 1. What is a Cooperative Enterprise; 2. Starting a Cooperative Enterprise; and 3. Cooperative Organization and Management.

The objectives of the pilot testing Workshop were to:

• Invite comments from experts and professionals

in the industry on the contents of the modules;

• Review and validate the contents of the Modules associated with the ‘Begin and Expand Your Cooperative’ manual and offer practical comments and suggestions for its improvement;

• Agree on any proposals which can improve the material in the manuals; and

• Ensure that the training modules are adapted not only to conditions in the Caribbean but can be a generic tool used in other countries.

Participants were sourced from the Family Islands of The Bahamas comprising trainers from cooperative education institutions, cooperative apex institutions, and Business Development Service providers from The Bahamas. Additionally, representatives from Dominica, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago formed part of the sample from the region. These countries and representatives were selected because of their experience with cooperatives. The Workshop was facilitated by the Bahamas Cooperative League.

Melvin Edwards, Cooperative consultant;Stephanie Missick-Jones, General Manager of The Bahamas Co-operative League Limited and Mr Kelvin Sergeant, the Sustainable Enterprise and Job Creation Specialist of the ILO facilitated the workshop.

A Trainer’s Manual and a step-by-step Guide to forming a cooperative enterprise have also been produced. These Modules have been reviewed by peers and consultants and underwent a sub-regional testing.

Participants at the Workshop in Nassau, Bahamas

ILO conducts training workshop in entrepreneurship in Jamaica

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ILO closes Jamaica’s pilot project on

Formalization of the Informal EconomyIn Jamaica it is estimated that the informal economy represents over 40 per cent of GDP. It is therefore an important part of the country’s economy. However, workers in the informal economy suffer from poor working conditions that hamper their development and growth. They lack an understanding of their rights at work and have inadequate social protection. Informal enterprises often suffer from poor governance, low productivity and no access to credit. These are some of the obstacles that workers and enterprises face when caught in the informality trap. However, with the right support to develop and formalize this part of the economy, the contribution of these economic units would be greatly enhanced.

Since September, 2014, the ILO has been working closely with stakeholders in Jamaica in the following areas:

• Knowledge and data - Situational Analysis in Granville and Garlands in the St. James Parish, as well as national policy inventory;

• Entrepreneurship development: Start & Improve Your Business (SIYB) programme; Know About Business (KAB) programme, cooperative training and development;

• Networks (Artisans) - Building networks; • Skills training and formal apprenticeships; • A study of the tourism sector and Multi National

Enterprises and the development of forward and backward linkages with the local economy;

• Social dialogue; and• Policy adaptation and development to foster

formalization – supported by the Jamaica Employers’ Federation.

The Validation and Dissemination Workshop held at the Altamont Court Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica on 10-11 November 2015 was therefore the fi nal step of the Project, which was developed under the Programme for the Promotion of Formalization in Latin America and the Caribbean (FORLAC). The

Project piloted a local development approach in the parish of St. James, with strong linkages to the national programme and policy level. In 12 months, key results were achieved and highlighted by national and local authorities and direct benefi ciaries during the Workshop.

The Workshop also allowed participants to propose the next steps to promote the formatlization of the formal economy. Some of these steps included:

• A national policy on formalization in order to give sustainability to the transition to formality in Jamaica through an integrated approach based on the policy guidance provided by the ILO Recommendation No. 204 on Formality, which was adopted by tripartite constituents in June 2015.

• Greater focus on informality through raising awareness of the opportunities and benefi ts relating to formalizing small businesses.

• Addressing the problem of low access of informal SMEs to Business Development Services and credit.

• Incorporate entrepreneurship in the educational system as a means to create formal business.

• Promote literacy.• Promote non-discriminatory policies to create

an enabling environment which is inclusive in order to remove social stigma towards workers and enterprises in the informal economy.

• Formulate and implement business-friendly policies that simplify business registration procedures and reduce registration costs.

• Formulation of a Decent Work Country Programme for Jamaica was supported by the participants.

Workshop participants with Mr Kelvin Sergeant, ILO Specialist (front right)

Second enterprise and entrepreneural skills workshop conducted in SurinameFollowing the success of the fi rst Enterprise/Entrepreneurial Skills Workshop conducted by the ILO with the Vereniging Surinaams Bedrijfsleven (VSB) / Suriname Trade and Industry Association in July 2015 which was heavily oversubscribed, ILO Senior Specialist, Employers’ Activities, Anne Knowles co-facilitated another workshop from 5 – 7 October 2015 along with Steven MacAndrew, VSB’s Executive Director. The Workshop also had two guest presenters - Roy Rijger who spoke on the situation with regard to taxes in Suriname, and Judith Van der

Gugten who spoke about her experience as an entrepreneur.

The Workshop received very high media coverage and dominated the evening news on 5 October, since all six television stations had reports on the Opening Ceremony and interviews with the VSB Chairman, Mr. Ferdinand Welzijn. Newspapers also carried reports of the Opening Ceremony. On 6 October, Steven MacAndrew and two participants participated in a live TV programme to discuss the Workshop.

The Workshop was once again over-subscribed and given the additional interest galvanized by the media, VSB decided to offer the training again during 2016 facilitated fully by their own staff as there is clearly a demand for it. As a direct result of the Workshop and the publicity surrounding it, VSB was asked by Suralco to conduct ten workshops for its staff who were about to be made redundant thus ensuring they had options available to them in knowing how to start and develop a business.

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The deceleration of economic growth seen during 2015 is affecting labour indicators in the region and will take the urban unemployment rate to 6.6 per cent this year, after marking 6.0 per cent in 2014, according to new estimates released today by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The United Nations Organizations unveiled a new edition of their joint publication The Employment Situation in Latin America and the Caribbean, in which they review the evolution of the region’s job markets in the fi rst semester of 2015 and indicate that the unfavorable growth prospects for this year — which forecast a -0.3 per cent contraction, according to ECLAC’s latest estimates — will likely be refl ected in the persistent weakness of labour demand and salaried job creation.

The Report confi rms that during the fi rst semester of 2015, the employment rate recorded a new decline with respect to the same period last year. An increase in the number of people looking for work began to negatively affect the unemployment rate, which rose to an average of 6.5 per cent in the fi rst semester, compared with 6.2 per cent in the same period of 2014.

ECLAC and ILO add that in the current macroeconomic and labour context one could expect to see an expansion of informal jobs and freelance work in many countries to partially make up for the lack of productive and good-quality employment opportunities.

According to the document, the current regional trend towards economic deceleration is worrisome because it reduces the ability to make gains on the reduction of poverty and inequality, two of the region’s important achievements since the beginning of the last decade.

In the report ECLAC and ILO call for boosting investment aimed at structural change that will lead economic growth potential towards a path of growing productivity.

“Only with clear productive development policies will the region be capable of overcoming the adverse context that currently hinders its expansion and of creating more and better jobs for the productive

insertion of its labour force,” Ms Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, and Mr José Manuel Salazar, Director of the ILO Regional Offi ce for Latin America and the Caribbean, stated in the publication’s foreward.

The report analyzes if the progress made in the prior decade was structural enough to prevent the loss of those achievements in a less favorable economic context.

This edition of the Report also compares the labour performance of different types of companies. It concludes that the positive evolution of job markets between 2003 and 2013 included both small and large businesses. Specifi cally, in the fi rst category the proportion of salaried employment and health insurance coverage rose. However, there continue to be marked gaps in terms of productivity and the quality of jobs between companies of different sizes.

ECLAC and ILO say that in the current, less favorable economic context, small companies as well as freelance jobs could once again play the role of creating the employment of last resort. Nevertheless, to prevent these jobs from being low in productivity and quality, the region must intensify efforts to remove hurdles and create an environment conducive to their growth and development, especially in the case of medium-sized companies.

The organizations add that the growth of these companies should be promoted through more incorporation of technology, access to adequate fi nancing, greater innovation, better access to markets, and a more qualifi ed labour force.

For more information please visit: www.ilo.org/global/docs/WCMS_419449

Economic deceleration affects the region’s labour market in 2015 and unemployment likely to rise to 6.6 per cent

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Given the fast pace of technological change in the world of work, there is a growing demand for fl exible, highly-skilled employees in all sectors of the economy to drive productivity for economic growth and development. Sector Skills Advisory Committees are established to address skills development issues, with specifi c emphasis on quality, and supply matching demand. The Committee is composed of representatives from government, business, labour, education and other professional groups, who will analyse future industry trends, and project or anticipate skills for future needs of the labour market.

A Sector Skills Advisory Committee serves as a technical body with the aim of improving the quality of occupational education and training in a particular area or sector.

Quality skills development is critical to addressing the problems of skills mismatches thereby creating greater opportunities for women and men including youth to obtain decent and productive work. The ILO Recommendation No. 195 concerning Human Resources Development: Education, Training and Lifelong Learning (2005), and Report V: Skills for Improved Productivity, employment growth and development (2008) provide a policy framework which underscores the importance of government and the social partners working together to improve the quality of education and training in order to adjust to the changing needs of the labour market.

A tripartite committee constituted in Guyana on 23 October 2015 and in Saint Lucia on 13 November 2015, will perform the following functions:

• Support the TVET Council by providing information on changing workplace requirements /emerging issues.

• Provide up-to-date information on skills anticipation and skills mismatches.

• Serves as advocate for the importance of TVET programmes in a given sector.

• Serves as a link between enterprises, the TVET Council, and education and training institutions to improve the quality and image of TVET.

• Provide technical advice on new initiatives to be considered by the TVET Council on improving the quality of TVET in a given sector.

• Provide technical advice to the TVET Council and training institutions on partnerships, resource mobilization from business/industry and the community.

• Undertake research on issues relating to the sector under consideration and submit fi ndings to the TVET Council.

• Provide technical advice to the TVET Council on specifi ed aspects of the sector under consideration.

• Provide advice to the TVET Council on education and training facilities and issues relevant to the curricula.

• Submit to the TVET Council an annual report with recommendations.

Speaking at the meeting in Guyana in October, Mr Hassan Ndahi, ILO Senior Specialist, Skills and Employability stressed the need for competitive education in all countries irrespective of their development stage. Despite the many reasons for unemployment, lack of quality education is one of the main hurdles in garnering decent employment opportunities for young adults.

The Committee members will serve a period of three years, after which a member may choose to continue for another three year term. The ILO will continue to follow-up on the progress of the Committees.

National Sector Skills Advisory Committees established in Guyana and Saint Lucia

Quality education and training on the agenda

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The Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labour Regional Initiative represents a commitment by the countries of the region to accelerate progress towards meeting the goals of eliminating the worst forms of child labour by 2016, and the complete elimination of child labour by 2020. It has been driven by 25 Latin American and Caribbean signatory countries to the initiative’s declaration, including the Bahamas, Jamaica, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

In September 2015, Grenada indicated its formal interest in joining the Regional Initiative. The Hon. Elvin G. Nimrod, Minister for Legal Affairs,

Labour, Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs and Local Government stated, “The Government of Grenada has consistently made its position on child labour known to the world through its legislation and pronouncements at local, regional and international forums. The Government wishes to join with the rest of the hemisphere to add its voice to combat child labour.” The ILO and signatory countries to the Initiative congratulate the Government of Grenada for their participation and look forward to collaboration on achieving the goals of the Initiative.

Priority areas of action between 2016 to 2020 to combat child labour were identifi ed and discussed at a workshop held in Paramaribo, Suriname from 27- 29 October 2015. The development of a National Action Plan (NAP) on the elimination of child labour for Suriname is one component of the “Country Level Engagement and Assistance to Reduce Child Labour (CLEAR)” project, a global capacity-building project funded by United States Department of Labor (USDOL).

Placed in groups, representatives from Ministries, the Vereniging Surinaams Bedrijfsleven (VSB) / Suriname Trade and Industry Association, and Raad van Vakcentrales in Suriname (Ravaksur) / Council of Trade Unions in Suriname, analysed and determined the causes of the different forms of child labour in Suriname. They collectively agreed on the overall

goal of the NAP, which is that by 2020 the worst forms of child labour in Suriname will be eliminated. Under this overall goal participants determined four objectives: awareness raising, research, capacity building, and support of children. Results/outcomes and key activities for each of the objectives were also discussed and agreed upon. A work plan drafted on these discussions was reviewed by the participants.

Based on these discussions, the main NAP framework will be completed by the drafting committee. It will hold a series of smaller group consultations with key stakeholders in the Government and civil society as part of the NAP drafting process. The national validation of the NAP is expected to be held in February or early March 2016.

Suriname tripartite partners identify priority areas of the National Action Plan for elimination of child labour

Grenada to join the Regional Initiative to combat child labour

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Gaps between national labour laws and ILO Conventions examined

President of the Industrial Court of Trinidad and Tobago appointed to ILO Committee of Experts

The ILO Decent Work Team and Offi ce for the Caribbean congratulate Her Honour Deborah Thomas-Felix, President of the Industrial Court of Trinidad and Tobago, on her appointment by

the ILO Governing Body as a Member of the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, which came into effect on 12 November 2015.

The Committee of Experts was set up in 1926 to examine the growing number of government reports on ratifi ed ILO Conventions. Today it is composed of 20 eminent jurists appointed by the Governing Body for three-year terms. The Experts come from different geographic regions, legal systems and cultures. The Committee’s role is to provide an impartial and technical evaluation of the state of application of international labour standards.

For further information please: visit www.ilo.org/standards

Gap analyses of national labour legislation are currently being conducted with respect to the 15 countries1 covered under a project2

which focuses on the challenges to CARIFORUM Labour, Private Sector and Employers to fulfi l their Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Obligations. The Project is funded by the European Union (EU) and is being executed by the ILO along with the Caribbean Employers’ Confederation (CEC) and the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL). The purpose of these analyses is to identify gaps between the national legislation and the provisions of the eight fundamental Conventions of the ILO, also known as the ‘core’ Conventions3. This exercise will examine and determine where changes may be needed to amend or otherwise adjust national

legislation, to comply with the international minimum requirements set forth in the ILO Conventions. In case of gaps, possible solutions may be recommended. The gap analyses will therefore provide concrete inputs for any discussion on legislative reforms.

The gap analyses under the EU-funded Project are unique in that Employers’ and Workers’ organizations will provide inputs. Any researchers conducting legal gap analyses usually look into how relevant laws, policies and programmes are implemented in practice. The social partners of the 15 countries played their role in this regard at the Regional Bipartite Meeting held in Grenada from 3-5 November 2015 (please see page 18). Employers’ and

Workers’ representatives from each country reviewed each of the main provisions of the fundamental Conventions on the four key areas (freedom of association and collective bargaining; forced labour; child labour; and discrimination), and commented jointly how the provisions of fundamental Conventions are applied in practice in their respective countries. These inputs are based on their rich and hands-on knowledge and experience, and will help inform a more complete and accurate gap analysis, with valuable information on application of the law in practice.

1 Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago

2 The Project is entitled: “Challenges to CARIFORUM Labour, Private Sector and Employers to fulfi l their Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Obligations: Caribbean Employers’ Confederation and the Caribbean Congress of Labour Component of the Support to Facilitate Participation of CARIFORUM Civil Society in Regional Development and Integration Process.”

3 They are eight Conventions, covering four subject areas:

Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining: • Freedom of Association and Protection of the

Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87)• Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining

Convention, 1949 (No. 98)

Elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour: • Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) • Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105)

Effective abolition of child labour:• Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) • Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182)

Elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation: • Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) • Discrimination (Employment and Occupation)

Convention, 1958 (No. 111)

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The National Congress of Trade Unions of The Bahamas (NCTUB), with the support of the Workers’ Activities Programme of the ILO Offi ce for the Caribbean, convened a workshop to ensure that trade unionists had a deeper understanding of national social dialogue, their role in social dialogue as well as new legislation on social dialogue in The Bahamas.

On 3 March 2015, The Bahamas enacted the National Tripartite Council Act which establishes a national Tripartite Forum on labour and industrial relations and related matters. The functions and powers of the National Tripartite Council include promotion of tripartism, consultation on matters related to the International Labour Organization, communication and discussion of the concerns of the social partners, promotion of education and training, as well as the creation and promulgation of a national development strategy on labour and industrial relations.

The Workshop was held at the Patrick Bain Training Room in The Bahamas Co-operative League on 17-19 November 2015. The choice of venue was considered very appropriate because Patrick Bain, former President of the NCTUB and the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers’ Union, was a staunch proponent of dialogue and training. Some 20 trade union leaders, two representatives of Government and two representatives of The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation (BCCEC) participated actively in the Workshop sessions.

It is noteworthy that the employers’ representatives in attendance were also members of the National Tripartite Council.

Discussions were robust during the sessions as the methodology used was highly participatory. Paula Robinson, ILO Senior Specialist for Workers’ Activities shared the facilitation of the Workshop with Jennifer Isaacs-Dotson, NCTUB General Secretary, and Theresa Mortimer, NCTUB 1st Vice President. Both these trade union leaders had undertaken to run a training activity on social dialogue as a condition of ILO support for them to attend a two-week international training on Social Dialogue at the ILO International Training Centre in Turin earlier in the year.

The topics presented at the November Workshop and discussed in detail included:

• Presentation of the guide on National Tripartite, Social Dialogue: defi nitions and preconditions of social dialogue;

• Who participates in National Tripartite Social Dialogue;

• Benefi ts and possible challenges to the National Tripartite Dialogue;

• Institutional framework for Tripartite Social Dialogue;

• Declaration of Social Justice for a Fair Globalization; and

• Social Dialogue and the ILO.

In the discussions on the nature of social dialogue, it was found that most unionists were more accustomed to the dysfunctions of collective bargaining, this knowledge coloured their interventions. Therefore the distinctions between national tripartite social dialogue and bipartite social

Bahamas Unions deepen understanding of social dialogue and the National Tripartite Council Act

dialogue at the enterprise level had to be reiterated and emphasized until the difference was assimilated. The session on the National Tripartite Council Act itself was also an eye-opener because although the social partners had been the catalyst for the passing of the legislation and they had been consulted, they began to discover that some of the wording had not remained exactly as they had agreed. Apart from the participants who had been actively engaged in the discussions contributing to the text, many of the other participants were reading the Act for the fi rst time.

The Workshop group sessions left the participants on a high note as the three groups all gave presentations on recommendations to strengthen national tripartite social dialogue and strategies for strengthening unifi ed trade union positions with social dialogue. The participants considered that the training activity had provided them with an opportunity to launch a new era of closer working relations between the representatives of Government, Employers and Workers in The Bahamas. It allowed them to understand the purpose of social dialogue and the implications of the National Tripartite Council Act for social dialogue in the Bahamas. There was also consensus that the inclusion of representatives from all three partners enriched the debate because all perspectives could be considered. They further agreed that the training enhanced their capacity to contribute to the resolution of important economic and social issues as well as their ability to contribute to good governance.

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Saint Lucia Trade Unions formulate Joint Negotiations Protocol

A two-day Workshop to formulate the Protocol was convened, 8-9 October 2015, at the Saint Lucia Teachers’ Union boardroom. The Workshop was attended by representatives of the Saint Lucia Nurses’ Association, the Correctional Services’ Association, the Police Welfare Association, the Saint Lucia Teachers’ Union, and the Fire Services’ Welfare Association as well as the TUF President and Vice-President. The gender breakdown of the participants was three women and seven men.

The Protocol is a framework agreement which will govern the procedures within individual affi liates leading to the formulation of a proposal, submission of proposals, appointment of the joint negotiating team, rules of engagement under negotiations, and an evaluation of the negotiations process. In addition, there are provisions for the removal of a negotiator and the revision of the protocol as well as an appendix providing guidelines for the selection of lead negotiators.

This initiative of the Trade Union Federation is commendable as it builds on solidarity, a fundamental trade union principle, and it represents a bold attempt to establish a framework which provides the public sector unions with a platform to negotiate as one unifi ed and consolidated bloc.

The ILO Offi ce for the Caribbean provided technical support and expertise so that the SLTUF could follow up work on the Protocol with a training workshop aimed at enhancing the negotiation skills of its members. This training activity was convened at the Pastoral Training Centre in Marisule 24-26 November 2015. Representatives of fi ve affi liates and the TUF participated throughout the three days of training; the gender composition was noteworthy as that there were 14 women and seven men in attendance.

The Negotiations Skill training was facilitated by Ms Paula Robinson, ILO Workers’ Specialist and Mr Hayden Hernandez, former BIGWU Deputy

General Secretary and NATUC Deputy Treasurer. The training and dealt with the following issues:

• Social Dialogue, Decent Work and the ILO - Social Dialogue and Conventions provide a framework for Negotiations;

• Preparing for Negotiations: (consulting with membership, research and data collection, gender-based bargaining, determining demands, distinguishing positions from needs, informing, mobilizing and educating membership); and

• The Negotiation Process (Cost and benefi t of different styles, case study in bad faith bargaining, dealing with essential services, effective listening, brainstorming and dealing with emotions).

In addition to the issues raised and discussed, ample time was allotted for the participants to simulate negotiations with several partners and interchanging the roles of employer and worker representative through negotiating exercises, followed by a debrief on the diffi culties encountered.

The simulation exercises proved to be very real because the group encountered and experienced stalled, incomplete, as well as successfully completed negotiations. It was also notable that many of the newcomers to negotiations found it easier to employ the new techniques and approaches than persons who had previous experience in collective bargaining.

The participants agreed that the training had been successful in opening their eyes to the need for more careful preparations, particularly in the area of research and data collection, to be able to present coherent arguments based on fact and evidence. They also committed to working on their own to improve their skills so that the new approaches learned could be incorporated into their personal skills-set.

The Saint Lucia Trade Union Federation (SLTUF) and its affiliates have used 2015 to enhance their institutional capacity so that they can better serve their membership. With the technical support and advice of the ILO Office for the Caribbean, the SLTUF has held four activities during the course of the year. The first workshop focused on the Decent Work Agenda and Social Dialogue. The second activity saw the development of a strategic plan for the SLTUF, and the last two activities dealt with the development of a Protocol to guide joint negotiations under the umbrella of the SLTUF, and training to enhance their negotiation skills.

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The Caribbean Domestic Workers’ Network (CDWN) convened a training activity for its members 4-6 December 2015 in Kingston, Jamaica. Twenty one women from its four members, namely: Antigua Trades and Labour Union Domestic Workers’ Branch, Barbados Workers’ Union, Red Thread Guyana and the Jamaica Household Workers’ Union participated in a training exercise aimed at addressing areas of need identifi ed by the Network.

The Network had determined that domestic workers needed to improve their skills in order to build their organizations and advance their agenda; the December training activity focused on the following areas: Leadership and Infl uence; Assertiveness and Negotiating Skills; Communication Skills and Confl ict Resolution; Fund-raising and Elements of Proposal Writing.

CDWN President, Ms Shirley Pryce, opened the proceeding by giving a warm welcome to the participants and wishing them a constructive and fruitful workshop. She also expressed her wish that the friendships formed would also help to strengthen collaboration within the Network. Ms Paula Robinson, ILO Workers’ Specialist brought the best wishes of Ms Claudia Coenjaerts, Director of the ILO Offi ce for the Caribbean and provided the participants with an overview of ILO support to the Network over the last two biennia. Ms Lorna Barrow, Founder of Impact Training and Development Services, the principal facilitator for the Workshop, gave an overview of the workshop content and informed the participants that they would have to work hard but that she guaranteed that they would also have fun.

The fi rst assignment was geared to reduce any apprehension the participants had about attending training and to get them to bond with each other quickly. The ladies were invited to organize themselves into groups of three persons each. Each group was then required to form an organization, give it a name, determine its objectives, draw its logo and then make a presentation to the Workshop in plenary session. The assignment proved to be a highly effective ice-breaker as groups focused and collaborated enthusiastically on completing the assignment. The creativity and the heightened social consciousness of the participants were on full display in the report

Caribbean Domestic Workers Network conduct training in Jamaica

back session. The Groups had created organizations which provided some kind of social service; there were small enterprises providing janitorial services and child and elderly care to household workers, as well as non-governmental organizations dealing with victims of domestic violence and assisting children to stay in school.

All topics were introduced with a presentation and an active discussion of the concepts and skills and their application. The group work on leadership provided the participants with a scenario where decisions had to be made in order to fulfi l the objective of the exercise. In the feedback session, the participants described the exercise as diffi cult but said that it also provided them with having to think about the big picture and then making tough decisions on behalf of the group, as leaders are required to do in organizations.

At the end of the three-day Workshop, the women had bonded, they exuded greater confi dence and many had found a voice of their own. The participants had worked hard to get as much as they could out of the training, they had inspired each other and had even surprised the facilitators in how easily they grasped the concepts and were able to fi nd examples to illustrate what they had learned. The very positive experience and resounding success of the Workshop were celebrated in a poem entitled Women of the CDWN.

We are Island women with sass and swagger.We are proud domestic workers.We love, we lead, we laugh, we learn.We welcome the ever-improving version of ourselves.We are inspiring, growing, striving. We are energized.We are masters of our destiniesWe embrace our phenomenal sisters, beautiful womenFrom Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana and Jamaica.We dance to the same song with a different beat. We stand in solidarity as one tribe: We are West Indian women.We are proud; we are fi erce, no longer silent. We negotiate, yes. We stand tall, fi rm and undefeated.We are wonderful kick-ass women on a mission.We are the women of the Caribbean Domestic Workers Network!

Excerpt from Women of the CDWN

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After a successful training exercise in Jamaica, members from the Caribbean Domestic Workers Network (CDWN) met once again in Georgetown, Guyana, 11-13 December 2015, to deepen their knowledge of ILO standards most pertinent to their situation, namely, the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No.189), the Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No.183) and the ILO eight Fundamental Conventions.

The training sessions were held in the library of Red Thread, a founding member of the Network. Participants numbered 21 and this time around, one attendee was a male domestic worker, an active member of the Jamaica Household Workers’ Union.

The presentations on the Conventions elicited lively feedback from the participants; for every right that was explained, participants were quick to tell the story of how that right was denied them. When discussing the Fundamental Conventions, the child labour conventions made a lasting impression on the domestic workers because each and every one of them had stories to tell of what was happening in their communities with respect to child labour. Having had their awareness raised in the Workshop was enough to have them commit to going back into their communities to try to change the situation even for one child. They indicated that learning about the Convention had given them tools to be able to argue for children to be in school and not out selling in the streets until all hours of the night. In fact, a number of the women present were now having to reassess their own childhood experience in light of the knowledge that had been gained.

The fi nal session of the Workshop was dedicated to a CDWN Steering Committee meeting where the decisions were formulated as a Declaration and laid out the following action plan for 2016:

1. All member organizations will intensify their advocacy and campaigning for the ratifi cation of ILO Convention No. 189 to get the Governments to live up to their promise to improve the working conditions of Caribbean domestic workers;

2. Actions to be taken by not only the members of the Network but coordinated under the umbrella of the Network are as follows:

Caribbean Domestic Workers deepen knowledge of the ILO and its Conventions

Participants at the workshop for Caribbean Domestic Workers Network in Guyana, December 2015.

• Letters urging ratifi cation will be addressed to the Prime Ministers and Ministers of Labour from each of the member organizations as well as from the Network;

• Member organizations will ensure that the Women and Men of CDWN poem will be published on organizations’ websites and in the media under the banner of “Our time Come, Ratify C.189” and in the case of Guyana “Our Time Come, Implement C.189”;

• The Network will keep the International Domestic Workers Federation and other international organizations supportive of the Network informed and will call on them for solidarity support for the ratifi cation campaign;

• CDWN organizations will continue training and providing information education for domestic workers to empower them to stand up for their rights within the existing legal framework; and

• Over the next twelve months, each organization will target one domestic workers’ issue for improvement at the national level;

3. The members of the Network undertake to continue to advise and support each other’s campaigns and to keep each member organization and the Network informed of all actions taken and all improvements won during the period.

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Survey of employers’ views on skills requirements

Employer representatives at the Grenada meeting spent some time reviewing a survey developed under the EU-funded Project1 to fi nd out the views of employers throughout the region on the coherence, or lack thereof, between job market requirements and the skills of job seekers. The key issue identifi ed by all participants in the national bipartite meetings that took place in 14 CARIFORUM member countries from July to October 2015 was that of youth unemployment. Of particular concern to employers is the mismatch between what the labour market requires and the skills, qualifi cations and “work readiness” of job applicants. To enable the Caribbean Employers’ Confederation (CEC) to develop an advocacy position to support efforts to bolster employment opportunities, a comprehensive survey was drafted for dissemination by each national Employers’ Organization calling on their members to sign on to the CEC’s website at: www.caribbeanemployers.org to complete the survey. As well as asking employers for their views on whether they envisaged their enterprises would be expanding or contracting in the coming year, questions were also developed on where perceived gaps were in the current TVET systems that private sector input could address. Employers throughout the Caribbean are strongly encouraged to participate in this survey so that their views can be incorporated in work on this important topic at both the national and regional levels. Employers should contact their national Employers’ Organisation for further information on the survey.

ECATT conducts conference on managing absenteeismUnplanned absenteeism is one of the biggest contributors to low productivity at any enterprise as production targets are missed, customer service is compromised and morale falls as other employees have to cover for the absent colleague.

Recognising the diffi culties inherent in managing this issue, the Employers’ Consultative Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ECATT) conducted a two day Conference bringing in a range of specialists to support Human Resource practitioners in establishing systems and policies to better deal with the fall-out caused absenteeism. Entitled ‘Culture Shock: Exploring New Strategies Towards a Reduction of Absenteeism in the Workplace’, the Conference was held on 29 and 30 October 2015 in Port of Spain and attracted over 120 participants. Speakers covered a range of issues including the history and culture of absenteeism, the impact of industrial relations on absenteeism, organizational culture, causes of absenteeism and how to accurately measure, analyse and present data for better decision making. Day 2 focused more on addressing and changing the culture that gives rise to unscheduled absenteeism; including leadership and the way work is done.

In her presentation, ILO Senior Specialist, Employers’ Activities, Anne Knowles, cited ILO Conventions that supported employers’ initiatives to manage absenteeism proactively and gave examples from countries that have taken steps to address this issue. She focused particularly on the need for record keeping as a tool to better manage the issue. Ms. Knowles said that keeping a record of absence sends out a message to employees that attendance is a priority in the workforce and that failure to attend for work will be noticed. If records are not kept, there may be a perception that some level of absence is tolerated within the company. The availability of attendance or absence records further allows a company to benchmark either across divisions, company locations or against rates set either internally or by corporate headquarters. A record of absence can establish patterns of poor attendance for example with particular employees, particular departments, particular work patterns (e.g. particular shifts), at different skill levels, at particular times and with types of absence (e.g. long-term or short-term).

Ms Knowles also referred to the practice in the United Kingdom where, from April 6th 2010, the sick note was replaced with a ‘fi t note’. She said that the essential difference is that on the ‘fi t note’ a GP can advise that the employee is ‘not fi t for work’ or that they ‘may be fi t for work’ under certain conditions, for example:

• If they return to work gradually, e.g start part-time• If they can work different hours temporarily• If they can perform different duties or tasks• If they have additional support to do their job, e.g if they

have back pain, then avoid heavy lifting

On the ‘fi t note’ the GP can also give general information around the individual’s illness and how it may affect his/her ability to work. On this basis the employee and employer can then discuss how best to proceed, deciding on what support the employer can give to ensure that the employee can return to work as soon as possible.

Representatives from 14 national Employers’ Organisations (EOs) met on 5 November 2015 in Grenada to fi nalise work plans under the EU-funded Project1 for the coming year. Building on the Forum held for Presidents and Chief Executive Offi cers of Employers’ Organisations in June 2015 in Barbados, the issues identifi ed and prioritised there were discussed at greater length and decisions taken as to the focus for 2016.

Topping the list was the need for EOs to have staff better trained in research methodology. A survey was conducted by the Caribbean Employers’ Confederation (CEC) in May/June 2015 asking EOs to identify the people within their organisations who undertook research as well as the topics covered. They were also asked to identify which local institutions they partnered with or received information from to assist in their lobbying and advocacy activities. Based on that information, it was agreed that a training workshop be held during 2016 for two representatives from each EO to come together

Caribbean Employers’

L to R: Anne Knowles, ILO and Joycelyn Francois-Opadeyi, CEO, ECATT

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to learn how best to access international, regional and local data, to discuss principles of analysis, and to design surveys to ensure meaningful input from the practical perspectives of member companies. The Workshop would then focus on how that research should best be incorporated into developing policy positions for use at both a national and regional level. Advocacy and lobbying techniques to support the wide dissemination, acceptance and implementation of the policy positions would be the third element of the Workshop. It was expected that such an approach would not only assist EOs at a national level to engage effectively in policy debates but also ensure the input to CEC’s policy development was well supported by the realities of the different member countries so that robust submissions could be made at regional forums refl ecting the voice of business across the Caribbean.

Two areas of immediate focus were agreed for the series of workshops set out in the action plan

under the Project. The topics for the two workshops planned to be carried out by CEC with the support of the ILO in each of the 15 member states during 2016 are Productivity Improvements Particularly for Small and Medium Enterprises and Business Continuity Planning. Speaking after the meeting, the President of CEC, Wayne Chen, said:

“It has been heartening to see the level of enthusiasm from the national Employers’ Organisations in their endorsement of the planned activities. It is very encouraging for businesses throughout the region to know they have the support of the ILO and the EU to assist them not only in improving the operation of their enterprises but also in ensuring their voice is heard at national and regional levels. The Caribbean Employers’ Confederation is committed to working with our members for the betterment of the business community throughout the Caribbean.”

ecectt ThT e totoppip csc fforor tthehe two wwworo kskkshoh psss

Confederation moving forward

A “fi rst” for the Region took place on 3 and 4 November 2015 when a joint meeting of representatives of Employers’ Organisations and Trade Unions from all 15 countries that are members of CARIFOUM took place in Grenada.

The Round Table was held under the auspices of the EU-funded project1 aimed to strengthen the voices of employers and workers in policy development through their regional organisations – the Caribbean Employers’ Confederation (CEC) and the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL). It followed on from 14 national bipartite workshops

L to R: Wayne Chen, President, CEC; The Hon. Elvin Nimrod, MP, Minister of Labour, Grenada; Claudia Coenjaerts, Director, ILO DWT and Offi ce for the Caribbean; Dr. Olivia Smith, Deputy Programme Manager, Free Movement and Labour, CARICOM Single Market and Economy Unit; and David Massiah, President, CCL

A new level of social dialogue

1 EU-funded project entitled Challenges to CARIFORUM Labour Private Sector and Employers to fulfi l their EPA Obligations: Caribbean Employers’ Confederation (CEC) and the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) Component of the Support to Facilitate Participation of CARIFORUM Civil Society in Regional Development and Integration Process.

that took place throughout the Caribbean from July to October 2015. At those meetings, joint actions were agreed by the national Employers’ Organisation and Trade Union focusing on ensuring meaningful and effective tripartite social dialogue took place. As the next step in building stronger synergies between employers’ and workers’ representatives at a national level, the President of the CEC, Wayne Chen, and the President of the CCL, David Massiah, jointly announced the agreement by those participating in the Regional Bipartite Meeting to establish formal bipartite forums in each of the CARIFORUM member countries.

1 EU-funded project entitled Challenges to CARIFORUM Labour Private Sector and Employers to fulfi l their EPA Obligations: Caribbean Employers’ Confederation (CEC) and the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) Component of the Support to Facilitate Participation of CARIFORUM Civil Society in Regional Development and Integration Process.

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CEC and CCL agree to establish formal national bipartite forums

1 EU-funded project entitled Challenges to CARIFORUM Labour Private Sector and Employers to fulfi l their EPA Obligations: Caribbean Employers’ Confederation (CEC) and the Caribbean Congress of Labor (CCL) Component of the Support to Facilitate Participation of CARIFORUM Civil Society in Regional Development and Integration Process.

A Regional Bipartite Meeting attended by senior representatives from trade union and employer organizations from fi fteen Caribbean countries was held 3-5 November 2015 in Grenada, under a project1 funded by the European Union and executed by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

In a joint statement, David Massiah, President of the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) and Wayne Chen, President of the Caribbean Employers’ Confederation (CEC) announced the agreement to establish formal bipartite forums in each of the fi fteen Caribbean States. These forums will deepen cooperation between trade unions and employers’ organizations to better coordinate research and advocacy on matters of mutual importance.

Welcoming the initiative, Wayne Chen opined that “these bipartite forums will mark a new era in the cooperation between workers’ and employers’ organizations that will no doubt improve the region’s business climate.

One of the key conclusions of the meeting in Grenada was a recognition of the need for both employer and worker representatives to be more closely involved in the curriculum and strategy development of national vocational and technical training institutions. Youth unemployment is the single most pressing issue to be addressed in the region and ensuring that coherence exists between job market requirements and the skills of job seekers is a top priority.

The participants determined from a practical perspective, whether the fundamental labour principles prohibiting child labour, forced labour and discrimination along with the right to freedom of

association and to bargain collectively were in place in each country. These four areas form the platform for the implementation of the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda.

Representatives also assessed the national monitoring mechanisms for the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union and CARIFORUM countries. It was agreed that a more consolidated focus was needed in each of the countries to ensure that appropriate measures be put in place to enhance the benefi ts to be derived from the EPA.

David Massiah said “both labour and employers demonstrated commitment and support of the work done over the three days. This augurs well for the future success of the programme which will send positive messages to our Governments.”

Claudia Coenjaerts, Director, ILO Decent Work Team and Offi ce for the Caribbean, noted that the mechanisms for social dialogue in the Caribbean need to be strengthened. She stressed that during times of fi nancial crisis, “social dialogue is our key tool in the bag when addressing economic downturn...Tripartism and social dialogue are essential building blocks of a peaceful and thriving economic environment.” She stressed that the EU-funded Project is an opportunity for workers’ and employers’ organizations to play their role in the implementation, governance and monitoring of the effects of the EPA Social Aspects Chapter. “This Project is your opportunity to build a CEC and CCL strong enough to have a recognized status in COHSOD and COTED, strong enough to infl uence social and economic CARICOM policies.”

Participants at the Regional Forum held in Grenada

Mr Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs led the ILO delegation attending the XIX Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labour (IACML) in Cancun, Mexico, convened by the Organization of American States (OAS). “Achieving Decent Work with Social Inclusion and Sustainable Development in the Americas” was the theme of the Meeting, held on 3-4 December 2015.

Constituents attending the IACML from the Caribbean included representatives from the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Jamaica and Saint Lucia.

The opening session was attended by Luis Eduardo Garzon, Minister of Labour of Colombia and President of the XVIII IACML; Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, ILO Regional Director; Alfonso Navarrete Prida, Secretary of Labour and Social Welfare of Mexico; and Ambassador Neil Parsan, Executive Secretary for Integral Development of the OAS.

In his speech, Mr Salazar-Xirinachs referred to the employment situation in Latin America and the Caribbean in the context of slowing economic growth, and the challenges of productivity and generating more and better jobs.

The Meeting was also the stage for the launch of the exhibition “Secrets of Labour”. The exhibition was organized by the ‘Regional Initiative Latin America and the Caribbean: Free of Child Labour’, with the support of the ILO, OAS and Mexico’s Ministry of Labour and Social Security. The purpose of the exhibition was to raise awareness and infl uence decision-making in the region in order to accelerate the reduction of child labour, in line with the Agenda for Sustainable Development that includes a target to “end all forms of child labour by 2025”. The launch of the exhibition took place at within the framework of the IACML Meeting.

The exhibition, Secrets of Labour, was a side event of the IACML, which gathers Ministers of Labour, representatives of workers, employers and international organizations, and represents an excellent opportunity to share experiences and infl uence decision makers in the world of labour.

ILO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean attends inter-American Meeting

Caribbean delegates attend Gender Academy, Turin

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Participants from the Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago were among the 70 countries represented at the Gender Academy held at the ILO’s International Training Centre (ITC-ILO) in Turin, Italy from 16–27 November 2015. The Academy offers workshops held by gender experts including those from the ILO and other United Nations agencies; private and public universities; and national institutions.

Labour Offi cers Ms Eleth Davis and Ms Chegera Pople from the Ministry of Labour and National Insurance in The Bahamas and Ms Ida Le Blanc, General Secretary, National Union of Domestic Employees (NUDE) of Trinidad and Tobago were among the 158 participants at this years’ Academy.

“The opening ceremony was amazing as there were so many people from various diffi erent cultures speaking four different languages (English, French, Spanish and Arabic).” said Ms Pople. “In her welcoming remarks Patricia O’Donovan, Director, ITC-ILO, said it best “these two weeks will provide an opportunity for new knowledge, new information and new friendships.” She further went on to say that the Academy brings together a broad cross-section of actors.”

“The various electives were very informative as they covered topics which included ILO conventions, Equality and Pay Equity, Women Entrepreneurship and Access to Finance and Gender and Trade. As stated by the facilitator, women do not have adequate resources to achieve their potential as a disproportionate amount of resources are available to men. To effect change and to narrow the gender gap, trade policies must be more gender aware, upgrade women skills and increase opportunities for women.” Ms Davis explained.

Ms Le Blanc stated ‘I feel honoured and blessed to have been given the opportunity to participate in such a dynamic and innovative event. It was truly international, very interactive. The staff were very helpful and effi cient and made us feel at home. The technical persons who assisted us with dropbox, twitter and other social media were great and patient. It was a busy time for all, attending classes all day and after class we would attend and interact at events held by participants. Everyone was excited to know more of what the other participants were doing in their countries and this space provided that.’

For further information visit: www.itcilo.org/gender

Participants at the ITC-ILO Gender Academy, 2015

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ILO launches Global Business Network for social protection fl oorsThe newly-created ILO Global Business Network for Social Protection Floors was offi cially launched on 28 October 2015 at ILO headquarters in Geneva.

The network includes multinational enterprises, employers’ organizations and private sector foundations that wish to share good practices and investigate how company programmes can promote the development of national social protection fl oors1.

“It is ultimately the responsibility of States to ensure the existence of adequate social protection for society and to plan, organize and, in some cases, fi nance the necessary protection. Enterprises can play a signifi cant role in promoting and realizing social protection fl oors adapted to each country,” said ILO Director- General Guy Ryder during the launch event.

Today, nearly 73 per cent of the world population lack access to adequate social protection coverage.

ILO research shows that social protection fl oors are affordable in the majority of developing countries and can be fi nanced through domestic resources in a sustainable manner provided they are well designed.

A growing number of studies also highlight that social protection supports companies’ competitiveness, and leads to lower absenteeism, greater productivity and reduced turnover of workers.

They also show that social protection contributes to reducing poverty, exclusion, vulnerability and inequality, while boosting aggregate demand for goods and services by increasing incomes, which can create new business opportunities for private sector entreprises.

“The current massive social protection gap is not acceptable from a human rights perspective. But it is also a missed opportunity from an economic and social development point of view. Companies that are part of the Network can help us convey this message to the whole business community and beyond,” Ryder concluded.

1 Social protection fl oors are nationally defi ned sets of basic social security guarantees which secure protection aimed at preventing or alleviating poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tripartite Sectoral Meeting on Occupational Safety and Health and Skills in the Oil and Gas Industry Operating in Polar and Subarctic Climate Zones of the Northern Hemisphere.

Place and date: Geneva, Switzerland, 26–29 January 2016

Second meeting of the Special Tripartite Committee established under the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006.

Place and date: Geneva, Switzerland, 8–10 February 2016

Ad hoc Tripartite Maritime Committee for the amendment of the Seafarers’ Identity Documents Convention (revised), 2003 (No. 185).

Place and date: Geneva, Switzerland, 10–12 February 2016

326th Session of the Governing Body Geneva

Place and date: Geneva, Switzerland, 10–24 March 2016

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Sen. the Hon. Jennifer Baptiste Primus pays a

courtesy call on Director General of ILO

Senator the Honourable Jennifer Baptiste Primus, Minister of Labour and Small Enterprise Development, representing the Caribbean as a member of the Governing Body, paid a courtesy call on ILO Director-General, Mr Guy Ryder, on 5 November 2015. The Minister held discussions with the DG on continued technical support, in particular, for a national tripartite conference on labour issues proposed for 2016 and reaffi rmed Trinidad and Tobago’s continued committment to the ILO. The courtesy visit was held on the margins of the 325th Session of the ILO Governing Body in Geneva, Switzerland.

United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework

Representatives from across the Caribbean and UN senior offi cials met at a strategic planning retreat in Port of Spain, Trinidad on 3 December 2015 to present the results of national consultations held throughout the Caribbean, and to elaborate on the four common strategic priorities identifi ed for the region for the period 2017 to 2021. Increased access to decent work forms part of them. The UN Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework (MSDF), will be the overarching framework for the common work of the United Nations system across Barbados, the OECS countries, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. It will be the successor of the six UNDAFs currently operational. In 2016 country implementation plans will be developed with the national counterparts for the operationalization of the UN MSDF.

Independent evaluation of the ILO’s Decent Work Country Programmes Strategies and

Actions in the CaribbeanThe Decent Work Team and Offi ce for the Caribbean would like to thank constituents and stakeholders for their inputs into the recent independent, High-Level Evaluation into the ILO’s Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs), strategies and actions in the Caribbean (2010–2015).

The Evaluation and its Recommendations were discussed at the 325th Session of the ILO’s Governing Body in November 2015. The Offi ce is following up on their implementation and will report back on progress to the Governing Body in 2016. The Decent Work Team and Offi ce for the Caribbean continues to be committed to work closely with the constituents for sustainable results in advancing the Decent Work Agenda.

The fi nal report is available via: www.ilo.org/global/docs/WCMS_419437

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ILO Offi ce turns UN Blue Marking the 70th Anniversary of the United Nations

The ILO which is the oldest specialised agency of the United Nations (UN) participated in a global initiative on UN Day, which marked the 70th anniversary of the UN. By turning UN Blue - the offi cial colour of the UN - the ILO Offi ce for the Caribbean was among 350 landmarks in more than 90 countries across the globe featured in this initiative on 24 October 2015. Millions of people around the world saw images and videos of structures lit up in ‘UN Blue’ shared via social media using #UN70.

The UN Information Centre, UN House and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Port of Spain, Trinidad also lit up their buildings to commemmorate the 70th Anniversary. Mr. Richard Blewitt, the UN Resident Co-ordinator for Trinidad and Tobago hosted an event for UN Day which included lighting up the bandstand at the Royal Botanic Gardens in ‘UN Blue’, to mark the occasion.

UN Day celebrates the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter in 1945. The ILO was created in 1919, as part of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I and it became a specialized UN agency in 1946.

Global images of landmarks lit up for the anniversary, including those from the Caribbean, can be viewed at: www.j.mp/UNBluePhotos

ILO Offi ce for the Caribbean, Stanmore House, Stanmore Avenue, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

Bandstand in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Bandstand in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

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Bandstand in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago 122235

ILO Communication and Information Management Offi cer, Dawn Lafond, participated in the UN4U outreach initiative with children at the Holistic Primary School in Cascade, Trinidad on 16 October 2015, as part of events to commemorate UN Day in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Junior Five pupils watched a short video introduced by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador Serena Williams on ‘The World’s Largest Lesson’, a plan to teach children in over 100 countries about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) also known as Global Goals.

The pupils were asked to look at all the SDGs in more detail, with each group agreeing on their fi ve most important SDGs. One SDG chosen by all the groups was ‘quality education’. The class discussed ‘Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning’ specifi cally in the context of

the prevention of Child Labour. The pupils went back into groups and discussed what quality education means to them.

The ILO Offi ce for the Caribbean donated an education pack entitled “Supporting Children’s Rights through Education, the Arts and the Media (SCREAM)” to the school along with other promotional materials used during the initiative.

For more information please visit:www.ilo.org/scream and www.globalgoals.org

ILO participates in UN4U 2015United Nations outreach programme for schools

Pupils watched ‘“The World’s Largest Lesson” produced by the Global Goals Pupils watched ‘“The World’s Largest Lesson” produced by the Global Goals campaign and UNICEFcampaign and UNICEF

Pupils at the Holistic Primary School discuss the 17 Global Goals

ILO Communication and Information Management Offi cer, Dawn Lafond with pupils at the Holistic Primary School in Cascade, Trinidad and Tobago

ILO VACANCIES @ http://erecruit.ilo.org

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Produced by the Information Unit, ILO Offi ce for the Caribbean, P.O. Box 1201, 6 Stanmore Avenue, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Tel. (868) 623-7704/7178 Fax (868) 627-8978 Email: ilocarib@ilo.org Website: www.ilo.org/caribbean

Photographs courtesy: Dennis Tayé Allen; Blondell George c/o Ministry of Labour, Guyana; CARICOM Secretariat; Dawn Lafond/ILO; Ministry of Labour and Small Enterprise Development, Trinidad and Tobago; Ministry of Labour, Technological Development and Environment, Suriname; Offi ce of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Trinidad and

Tobago; Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States;

ILO VACANCIES @http://erecruit.ilo.org

INFORMATION RESOURCES

INTERNATIONAL OBSERVANCES20 February World Day for Social Justice8 March International Women’s Day21 March International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination25 March International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery

Practical guidelines for developing and implementing workplace policies and programmes on HIV and AIDSBased on ILO experiences in the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean Countries

These guidelines represent the crystallization of the lessons learnt from ILO’s long partnership with its constituents to develop and implement

tripartite-plus workplace policies on HIV and AIDS. While this Guide emerged out of the Caribbean experience, it is a universal tool that constituents in the Caribbean and beyond can use to develop and implement their own HIV policies at the national, sectoral or enterprise level.

ISBN: Web version: 978-92-2-127917-4www.ilo.org/caribbean/information-resources/publications/WCMS_429977

Collective bargaining - a policy guide

This policy guide is aimed at public authorities tasked with establishing or improving the effectiveness of policies and institutions that promote collective bargaining. It provides guidance in respect of the essential elements of a policy to promote collective bargaining, the process by which such a policy might

be formulated and some considerations for enhancing the inclusiveness of collective bargaining institutions. It can be used in a variety of institutional contexts and national situations. It supports the development of policies to promote collective bargaining through tripartite social dialogue.

ISBN: 978-92-2-129232-6

Key Indicators of the Labour Market (KILM) – Ninth edition The KILM is a multifunctional research tool designed to make labour market information and analysis easily accessible. Harvesting information from international data repositories as well as regional and national statistical sources, the KILM offers data for

over 200 countries. The 17 chapters provide detailed information related to 36 data tables, including indicators on employment (occupation, status, sector, hours, etc.), labour underutilization and the characteristics of job seekers, education, wages, labour productivity and working poverty. Taken together, these indicators provide a strong foundation from which to address key questions related to productive employment and decent work.

Download the KILM Excel add-in at: www.ilo.org/kilm

ISBN: 978-92-2-130121-9Price: TT$132.00

Productivity improvement and the role of trade unions

The issue of productivity improvement has assumed increasing importance with globalization and the ensuing global economic and social crises. It is, therefore, imperative for emerging and developing economies to develop the capacity to pursue strategies to improve competitiveness of local-based enterprises in domestic and global markets. This requires the active participation of the main social partners and stakeholders, particularly employers’ and workers‘ organizations, to support a favourable climate of industrial relations. This process is essentially important to workers’ organizations, as their members have on the whole, borne the negative impacts of the process of globalization and the challenges brought about by global economic situation.

ISBN: 978-92-2-130456-2

Global Employment Trends for Youth 2015

The Global Employment Trends for Youth 2015 provides an update on key youth labour market indicators and trends, focusing both on the continuing labour market instability and on structural issues in youth labour markets. The report offers valuable

lessons learned on “what works” for youth employment and on emerging practices in policy responses. Ideally, these will shape future investments in youth employment, as countries continue to prioritize youth in their national policy agendas.

ISBN: 978-92-2-129635-5Price: TT$60.00

Toward solutions for youth employment: A 2015 baseline report

Solutions for Youth Employment (S4YE) was launched in October 2014 as a multistakeholder Coalition to positively disrupt the youth employment landscape. S4YE is a partnership initiated by the World Bank, Plan International, the International Youth Foundation, Youth Business International, RAND,

Accenture, and the ILO with a view to contributing to a world where all youth have access to work opportunities. This inaugural report explores how S4YE can fi nd and advance solutions to the challenges of getting all youth into productive work.