Promoting decent work for all

Transcription

1 Caribbean Labour Ministers and senior labour officials attending the first joint Ministerial Meeting of the Caribbean Promoting decent work for all The International Labour Organization (ILO) is the United Nations agency devoted to advancing opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. Its main aims are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue in handling work-related issues. The ILO works through its tripartite membership in 183 countries - governments, employers and workers, all of whom jointly shape its policies and programmes. The ILO is the global body responsible for drawing up and overseeing international labour standards. The ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean, based in Trinidad and Tobago, serves 13 ILO member States and 8 non-metropolitan territories of the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean. The Office works closely with United Nations agencies, including through five UN Country Teams, and regional organizations such as CARICOM. Member States: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago Non-metropolitan territories: Anguilla, Aruba, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Turks and Caicos Islands. CARICOM-ILO Labour Ministers Meeting: CARICOM endorses Decent Work Agenda, policy coherence to be part of its strategic vision Community (CARICOM) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) on April 2010 in Guyana, have acknowledged the need to develop a strategy to ensure that policy coherence is firmly entrenched in the strategic vision of the Caribbean Community. Increased policy coherence between labour, social and macro-economic policies in pursuit of the Decent Work Agenda for economic and jobs recovery, and national and regional development were firmly endorsed. The Decent Work Agenda is a development strategy which strives for economic growth with equity and is built on four pillars: providing opportunities for employment; ensuring respect for rights at work; providing social protection; and promoting participation and social dialogue among governments and employers and workers organizations. The 19th Meeting of the Caribbean Community Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD), held in collaboration with the ILO s 7th Meeting of Caribbean Labour Ministers, brought together nine labour ministers and more than 30 senior labour officials of the Caribbean. It was chaired by the Hon. Karl Hood, Minister of Labour of Grenada. Held under the theme: Coherence for Human and Social Development in the Caribbean Community: The Contribution of Labour Ministries and the Decent Work Agenda, the Meeting focused on labour in relation to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). Robert June 2010 Kyloh, ILO s Senior Economic Adviser delivered the feature address on the theme. Issues such as the role of labour CARICOM Secretary-General H.E. Edwin Carrington (right) with Robert Kyloh, ILO s Senior Economic Adviser, who delivered the feature address at the opening ceremony of the COHSOD-ILO Meeting. ministries in human and social development, labour migration, harmonization of labour legislation, social security, labour market information systems, youth, and technical and vocational training were high on the agenda. A joint technical meeting between the CARICOM Secretariat and the ILO was recommended by COHSOD to identify programme areas that would require consolidation within the CARICOM Agenda. The positive outcomes that have resulted from the CARICOM-ILO partnership were acknowledged by CARICOM s Secretary-General, H.E. Edwin Carrington, and ILO s Regional Director for the Americas, Jean Maninat, who delivered his address via video. The CARICOM-ILO partnership began in 1982 when the two parties signed a Cooperation Agreement (See ILO s website for the Communique). ILO Caribbean Newslink is produced by the Information Unit of the ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean. Please all enquiries to: ilocarib@ilocarib.org.tt Labour Ministers, senior labour officials and senior CARICOM and ILO officials at the COHSOD-ILO Labour Ministers Meeting. 1

2 DECENT WORK AND THE GLOBAL JOBS CRISIS ILO urges strong action on jobs to ensure balanced economic recovery The ILO concluded the 99th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) on 18 June 2010, with a strong call for placing employment and social protection at the centre of recovery policies. While meeting in the run-up to the G20 leaders Summit in Toronto on June 2010, representatives of the real economy government, employer and worker delegates from the ILO s 183 member States expressed broad concern that the global economic recovery remained fragile and unevenly distributed, and many labour markets are yet to see jobs recovery match economic recovery. Delegates called for action to apply the ILO s Global Jobs Pact. The Pact was adopted at a crisis Summit held during last year s ILC and received strong support during the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh last September. The Conference took place against a backdrop of new concerns about the continuing global jobs crisis that has elevated g l o b a l unemployment to more than 210 million, its highest level ever recorded, according to the Director- General s R e p o r t entitled Recovery and Growth with Decent Work. Mr. Juan Somavia, ILO s Director-General noted that the ILO had seen no significant indications of a reduction in the global rate of unemployment this year, despite signs of an economic recovery. Caribbean Government Delegates meet with Jean Maninat, ILO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, while attending the 2010 ILC. Speakers from governments, employers and workers alike noted that the continuing lack of a jobs recovery plan placed a terrible burden on the unemployed, while at the same time hindering efforts to create the right environment for enterprises to create employment. Others cautioned against a premature exit from stimulus packages, which simply were going to make matters worse. Caribbean countries and territories represented at the ILC were Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Saint Kitts and Nevis completes consultations for the development of the OECS Decent Work Subregional Programme CDB President Dr. Compton Bourne addresses ILO s Governing Body Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) President, Dr. Compton Bourne, addressed the Working Party on the Social Dimension of Globalization of the ILO Governing Body at its March session this year. Dr. Bourne spoke on the impact of the global economic crisis on developing economies and the role of multilateral banks. In the discussion following his intervention, he invited the ILO and the CDB to organize a conference with other development partners to analyse how the Caribbean region could incorporate the ILO s Global Jobs Pact into its recovery policies. Pierre-Francois Recoing, ILO Specialist on International Labour Standards and Labour Law (in photo centre) leads the group work on labour legislation at the tripartite-plus programming Workshop for the Decent Work Country Programme for Saint Kitts and Nevis on May The review and updating of labour legislation is one of the four common areas for the Decent Work Subregional Programme being developed for Members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). The Decent Work Subregional Programme is in keeping with the commitment from the OECS to form an Economic Union. Under the regional programme, implementation plans that address specific domestic concerns are being drawn up through national tripartite consultations. Saint Kitts and Nevis has identified the development of a Labour Code as part of their legislative agenda and initial work has begun. To date, national tripartite consultations have been completed in Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Saint Kitts and Nevis. 2

3 DECENT WORK COUNTRY PROGRAMMES Jamaica moves to develop National Jobs Pact for Economic Recovery The Government of Jamaica, the Jamaica Employers Federation (JEF), the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) and other stakeholders have agreed to implement a National Jobs Pact for Economic Recovery. The Pact will constitute the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) - the main vehicle for delivery of ILO s support to countries - for L to R: Marva Phillips, Head, The Hugh Lawson Shearer Trade Union Education Institute and Vice President, Trade Union Congress, Jamaica; Ana Teresa Romero, Director, ILO-SRO, POS; Errol Miller, Chief Technical Director, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Jamaica; and Brenda Cuthbert, CEO, Jamaica Employers Federation. Jamaica. The decision follows successful consultations at a national tripartite-plus Workshop, held with the support of the ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean (ILO-SRO, POS) on 1-2 March 2010 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston. Jamaica s Jobs Pact for Economic Recovery will be based on the ILO s Global Jobs Pact which was adopted in 2009 by the International Labour Conference in response to the global financial crisis. The ILO s Jobs Pact and the DWCP promote the Decent Work Agenda - employment creation, respect for rights at work, social protection and social dialogue. The priorities, defined in the Jamaica s Jobs Pact for Economic Recovery, are in line with the national strategic development plan, Vision 2030 Jamaica - National Development Plan. They are: development of a national employment policy; promotion of rural employment and local economic development; providing training for rural economic development; entrepreneurial education with emphasis on youth and rural communities; enhancing social security coverage; and strengthening tripartism and social dialogue and respect for rights at work. Participants at the national tripartite-plus Workshop included representatives from the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ); the Rural Development Authority (RADA); Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC); Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, Jamaica; Jamaica Trade and Investment (JTI); Heart Trust/National Training Agency; Bureau of Women s Affairs; officials of Government units that deal with planning, monitoring and research; the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus; and the World Bank (Jamaica Office). Green jobs to feature prominently in Guyana s Decent Work Country Programme The creation of green jobs and decent work in the framework of Guyana s Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) will be an integral feature of the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) for Guyana. This was the decision taken by the National Tripartite Committee of Guyana when it met in January 2010 to define the priorities of the DWCP for Guyana. On March 2010, a Workshop was jointly hosted by the National Tripartite Committee and the ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean (ILO-SRO, POS) for the design and implementation of the DWCP, at which the Hon. Samuel Hinds, Prime Minister of Guyana, delivered the feature address. Guyana s LCDS outlines the country s approach to promoting economic development while at the same time combating climate change. The LCDS has three main components: 1. investment in low carbon economic infrastructure; 2. investment and employment in low carbon economic sectors; and 3. investment in communities and human capital. Guyana s LCDS is in line with the ILO s Green Jobs Initiative in which green jobs - jobs which promote low-carbon emissions - and the promotion of the green economy are seen as key drivers for achieving economic and social development that is also environmentally sustainable. Guyana has taken the lead in the Caribbean in introducing the LCDS and has been receiving international recognition for its efforts in combating climate change. President Bharrat Jagdeo, who has been the champion of this initiative, was recently presented with the 2010 Champions of the Earth Award by the United Nations Environmental Programme. Guyana s DWCP also addresses other initiatives in support of the Decent Work Agenda. These include the revitalization of cooperatives; enhancement of technical and vocational training programmes and the introduction of entrepreneurial education; development of R to L: The Hon. Samuel Hinds, Prime Minister of Guyana shares a light moment after the Workshop with Dr. Ana Teresa Romero, Director, ILO-SRO, POS and the Hon. Manzoor Nadir, Minister of Labour, Human Services and Social Security microfinance schemes to support the creation of sustainable enterprises; strengthening the functions and service of the labour ministry; and strengthening the capacity of employers and workers organizations to enhance tripartism and social dialogue. 3

4 OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (OSH) Emerging risks and new patterns of prevention in a changing world of work Antigua and Barbuda Jamaica Caribbean joins in commemorating World Day for Safety and Health at Work, 28 April The World Day for Safety and Health at Work, commemorated on 28 April of each year, is an international campaign initiated by the ILO since 2003 to promote safe, healthy and decent work. As in previous years, the observance of the Day was marked with various activities throughout the Caribbean. The theme for this year was Emerging risks and new patterns of prevention in a changing world of work. A Report by the same title, produced to promote the Day, highlighted the new risks As part of its activities to mark the World Day, the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Department hosted an Occupational Safety and Health Conference at the Multipurpose and Cultural Centre. The Conference featured interactive discussions on topics such as fire safety, workmen s compensation and ergonomics. The Minister with responsibility for Labour, Sen. Dr. the Hon. L. Errol Cort, delivered an address at the opening of the Conference along with other partners and stakeholders. Trinidad and Tobago which have emerged in the field of nanotechnology application, biotechnology and chemical handling. The Report also highlighted the rise in psychosocial conditions linked to new stresses and strains of work in the global economy. ILO estimates indicate that every day some 6,300 people die as a result of work-related injuries or diseases, representing more than 2.3 million deaths per year. In addition, some 337 million workplace accidents occur each year resulting in extended absences from work. This year Trinidad and Tobago hosted its Fourth Annual National Safety Awards and Safety Week. While the highlight was the National Safety Awards Ceremony which was held on 28 April - World Day for Safety and Health at Work - safety lectures and exhibitions were held during National Safety Week, 26 April - 2 May 2010, at venues in both Trinidad and Tobago. This year saw an increase in the number of entries for the National Safety Awards. Since the inception of National Safety Week, the ILO has been joining forces with the OSH Authority and Agency for the commemoration of the World Day through its National Safety Week activities. On 28 April 2010, the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus,Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health (OESH) Programme and the Jamaica Occupational Health Professionals Association (JOHPA) joined forces to mark the World Day for Safety and Health at Work. With support from local businesses with an interest in OESH, an exhibition displaying various safety and health products was mounted in the Chemistry Department of the UWI. Running concurrently were three short public education seminars: Demystifying the Material Safety Data Sheet; Accidents are no Accident; and Managing Risk in your Workplace. Following these seminars was the mini-symposium: Emerging Risks and New Patterns of Prevention in a Changing World of Work. Presentations were made by Dr. Owen James, President, JOHPA, Prof. Ishenkumba Kahwa, Dean, FPAS and Director, OESH Programme, Dr. Parris Lyew Ayee, Director, UWI Mona, Informatics, and Dr. Benjamin Alli, OHK Management Consultants Ltd., and ILO Consultant on OSH. 4

5 Think, Act, Be Safe Barbados Ministry of Labour uses OSH theme for May Day parade WORKERS AND OSH Ministry of Labour s band at the May Day parade in Barbados. Every 1 May, the Barbados Workers Union (BWU) joins with the rest of the world to celebrate the achievements of the labour movement. Over the last decade the BWU has sought to build national solidarity by inviting the social partners to join with the labour movement in the organization and execution of May Day. The theme for May Day 2010 was Employees + Management = Partnership for Recovery and Sustained Growth. In April 2010, two ILO officials, Catherine Bråkenhielm, Coordinator of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Team within the Department of Labour Standards at ILO Headquarters, Geneva, and Pierre-François Recoing, Specialist in International Labour Standards and Labour Law, ILO Office for the Caribbean, delivered lectures at the University of the West Indies (UWI) on the ILO and International Labour Standards relating to OSH. These lectures were delivered within the framework of the MSc programme in Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health at both Mona, Jamaica and The activities for the day included a parade of organizations which took the four mile route from the Garrison Historic Area to Browne s Beach - a popular bathing spot on the outskirts of Bridgetown - where participants were treated to lively entertainment. During the day, the opportunity was taken for the social partners to address the gathering. The Ministry of Labour and associated Government organizations, participate in the celebrations every year under the aegis of the Ministry of Labour. This year, while on parade, the Ministry sought to sensitize the public about the important issue of Occupational Safety and Health. The slogan on the participants T-shirt was TABS (Think, Act, Be Safe). With at least 250 participants on the road, the Ministry of Labour won the prizes for the largest band and also for the most colourful band. The Ministry and its supporters will be back, bigger and better next year. ILO support for UWI OESH Masters Programme St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago campuses. About 30 students per session, most of them already professionals in the OSH field, benefited from the lectures and actively participated in the sessions. In Jamaica, the lectures were recorded for subsequent audio casting at the Montego Bay campus. These interventions were followed by lectures on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work by Dr. Benjamin Alli, OHK Management Consultants Ltd., and ILO Consultant on OSH, in Jamaica and in Trinidad and Tobago by Madhuri Supersad, ILO HIV/AIDS Specialist. Trade unions strengthen their occupational safety and health capacity In the face of an increasing number of accidents on the job, trade unions in the region have been advocating for improvements in occupational safety and health (OSH), including the updating of OSH legislation. Some unions are already engaged in implementing updated OSH legislation and are actively participating in OSH workplace committees. In an effort to strengthen the capacity of trade unions for their advocacy role and active involvement in OSH, the ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean hosted a five-day training programme on OSH in collaboration with its International Training Centre (ITC), from March 2010 in Barbados. Twenty-eight trade union representatives from 18 trade unions in the region benefited from the programme entitled Trade Union Training on Trade Union Action on Occupational Safety and Health. Facilitated by Aitana Gari of the ITC, Paula Robinson, ILO Senior Specialist for Workers Activities, and Basil Rocheford, ILO Consultant, the course covered ILO Conventions on OSH, the role of OSH committees, CARICOM s Model Legislation on OSH, and developing trade union action plans on OSH. Photo on left: ILO officials Pierre-François Recoing and Catherine Bråkenhielm, have discussions with Wendy Lawrence, UWI, St. Augustine Campus. Photo on right: OESH students, Jamaica. 5

6 EMPLOYERS ACTIVITIES Employers organizations prepare for increased participation in national development Employers organizations in the Caribbean are gearing up for increased participation in national dialogue on development and labour market planning as well as improving the services to their members. In late 2009 and 2010, a series of organizational reviews were conducted with the assistance of the ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean, aimed to assess each organization s effectiveness and service with a view to improving its capacity to respond to the changing national and work environment. The reviews have been driven by the Bermuda Employers Council executive training received through the ILO s 2nd Programme of the Caribbean Academy for the Management of Employers Organizations (CAMEO) in 2009, and were reinforced through consultations on the development of Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCP). DWCPs are the main vehicles for delivery of ILO s support to countries with the aim to anchor the goal of decent work in national development strategies. Grenada employers sharpen negotiation and conciliation skills at ILO Workshop Following a request from the Grenada Employers Federation, and through recommendations made at the Decent Work Country Programming exercise for Grenada in 2009, the ILO sponsored a four-day training exercise on conciliation, mediation and negotiation skills for employers on May A similar workshop was held in October last year for trade unions. As a result both sides of the negotiation table are now better equipped to build a more harmonious industrial relations climate in Grenada. JEF Convention - Crisis to opportunity: Endless possibilities Bahamas Employers Confederation Organizational reviews have been conducted for employers organizations in Trinidad and Tobago, Bermuda, Belize, The Bahamas, Saint Lucia and Barbados. These organizations now have a better grasp of their staff and membership profiles and are in the process of making the required adjustments to ensure the provision of more Barbados Employers Confederation 6 effective services, particularly in the areas of advocacy, advisory services, and training activities. The reviews have revealed interesting trends. An increased number of existing and potential members are taking advantage of new or improved services, and revenues have increased as a result. Others are providing inputs for updating labour legislation in areas such as gender, HIV/AIDS policies, occupational safety and health, and small enterprise development. There have been increased networking and informationsharing among Caribbean employers organizations. The organizations mandate is expanding to include labour issues related to trade agreements. The next CAMEO programme (CAMEO III), is carded for As was done previously, a survey will be conducted to determine which expanded or new topics should be covered in the programme. This type of continuous assessment assists the ILO in correctly responding to the needs of the employers organizations to further build their capacity for meeting the challenges of the changing national and work environment. Keynote speaker Mavis Thompson, President, National Bar Association of the USA (2nd from left) with JEF Executives (from L to R) Brenda Cuthbert, CEO, Wayne Chen, President, Rickert Allen, 2nd Vice-President and Luesette Howell of the ILO. The 28th Annual Workplace Convention and Business Exposition of the Jamaica Employers Federation (JEF) focused on strategies and tools required to uncover the opportunities emerging from the global financial crisis. The ILO s Global Jobs Pact - the ILO s response to the crisis - was presented by Professor Neville Ying, Executive Director, Jamaica Diaspora Institute, Mona School of Business, the University of the West Indies. Dr. Alejandro Bonilla-Garcia, Chief of Social Security Education, Training and Capacity Building, ILO Social Security Department, presented on the global responses to the financial and economic crises and natural disasters. Addresses at the opening session were delivered by the Hon. Pearnel Charles, Minister of Labour and Social Security; Brent Wilton, Deputy Secretary General, International Organisation of Employers (via video); and Luesette Howell, ILO Senior Specialist, Employers Activities. The Convention, which ran from 6-9 May 2010 in Ocho Rios, was part of the JEF s effort to entrench Jamaica s private sector as a dependable engine of national growth and business development.

7 CHILD LABOUR Guyana s TACKLE Project launches public education programme to curb truancy A public education programme to tackle child labour through education was launched by the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, and the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the European Union. The launch took place on 8 June 2010 ahead of the World Day Against Child Labour which is observed on 12 June. The programme is one of the activities of the ILO s TACKLE (Tackling Child Labour Through Education) Project being implemented in Guyana. Ministers of Education and Labour, and participants raise a red card against child labour at the launch of public education activities. Guyana s strategy in addressing the issue of child labour places emphasis on prevention. The statistics of the Ministry of Education show high rates of school drop-outs and truancy, factors which predispose children to child labour. The public education programme aims to raise awareness of the importance of keeping children in school so that they can complete a full education. Edutainment - education while entertaining - will also be used as part of the programme with the support of the acting fraternity. A series of posters, bumper stickers, bookmarks and brochures have been developed, including a poster to support the ILO s Red Card Against Child Labour Campaign. Guyana is a signatory to the two ILO Conventions on child labour - Nos. 138 and 182. Jamaica goes for the goal to end child labour World Day Against Child Labour was celebrated in Jamaica under the theme Go for the goal end child labour using sports to support the elimination of child labour. A football mentorship summer camp carded for July was one of the initiatives launched by the ILO s TACKLE (Tackling Child Labour Through Education) Project, sponsored by the European Union and implemented by the Government of Jamaica. The camp will target approximately 300 inner city children in Kingston, St. Andrews, Spanish Town and Montego Bay. The TACKLE Project aims to provide access to basic education and skills training for disadvantaged children and youth. Public service announcements to raise awareness of child labour were also launched by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to commemorate the Day. HIV/AIDS AND THE WORLD OF WORK Expanding HIV/AIDS interventions to miners and loggers in Guyana Guyana s HIV/AIDS Workplace Education Programme has expanded its interventions to gold and diamond miners and loggers. Specifically, sensitization sessions with these two groups focus on the following areas: risk identification and risk reduction, correct and consistent condom use, alcohol abuse, stigma and discrimination reduction, and know your status. Sensitization with loggers and their family members in the North West District Region 1. Mobile Voluntary Counselling and Testing Teams usually accompany the facilitators on the outreaches and as a result, an increasing number of miners and loggers have opted to use the opportunity to get tested. Guyana s Programme is being implemented in a collaborative arrangement between the Government of Guyana and the ILO, and is sponsored by the US Department of Labor (USDOL) and the US President s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). ILO adopts first international human rights instrument on HIV and AIDS and the World of Work Governments, employers and workers who met at the annual Conference of the International Labour Organization adopted a new International Labour Standard on HIV and AIDS the first international human rights instrument to focus specifically on the issue in the world of work. T h e Standard is the f i r s t internationally sanctioned l e g a l instrument aimed at strengthening the contribution of the world of ILO HIV/AIDS Conference Committee members show solidarity for new ILO Recommendation. work to universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and contains provisions on potentially life-saving prevention programmes and anti-discrimination measures at national and workplace levels. It also emphasizes the importance of employment and income-generating activities for workers and people living with HIV, particularly in terms of continuing treatment. The new Standard is in the form of a Recommendation, one of two types of labour standards the ILO can adopt. It augments the existing ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work adopted in Several Caribbean countries are already actively engaged in adopting workplace and national policies on HIV and AIDS and the world of work, as well as implementing workplace programmes. 7

8 INTERNATIONAL LABOUR STANDARDS AND LEGISLATION ILO support for review of Maritime Labour Legislation In view of the forthcoming entry into force of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006), the ILO, through its Office for the Caribbean, has offered to provide support to select countries in the region to carry out gap analyses of their national legislation as it relates to the provisions of the MLC, These activities address one of the requests made by participants of the Hemispheric Conference on the Rapid and Widespread Ratification and Effective Implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, held on 7-10 September 2009 in Barbados. Gap analyses have been carried out for Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Dominica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Barbados and Jamaica are in the process of doing the same exercise. The goal is to help countries determine the provisions that will need to be reviewed and/or adopted in view of the entry into force of the Convention. The Bahamas, as several of the top flag states of the world, has already ratified the Convention and several other ILO member States in the Caribbean have indicated their intention to do the same. INFORMATION RESOURCES British Virgin Islands has new Labour Code The House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) has recently passed a new Labour Code. The Code provides for trade unions, protection for workers who join and participate in trade union activities as well as the right to strike. It incorporates the fundamental ILO Conventions as well as ILO Conventions that have been extended to the BVI by the United Kingdom. Clive Pegus, Labour Consultant and Attorney-at- Law, was hired by the Government to facilitate consultations with stakeholders in order to draft the new Labour Code. Mr. Pegus was recommended by the ILO given his substantive work on the ILO Project on the Harmonization of Labour Legislation in the English- and Dutch-Speaking Caribbean. New Standard to be developed for domestic workers A new international labour standard to support decent work for domestic workers will soon be developed. A first discussion on the proposed standard was held at this year s International Labour Conference (ILC) and will be followed by a second discussion at the 2011 ILC, when a final decision will be taken regarding the form and provisions of the standard. Despite its growing social and economic significance, domestic work has traditionally been, and still is, one of the most precarious, low-paid, insecure and unprotected forms of employment. According to the ILO Report prepared for the June 2010 Session of the ILC, domestic work absorbs a significant proportion of the workforce, ranging between 5 and 9 per cent of total employment in developing countries. The new international norm for domestic workers would need to reaffirm the protections to which domestic workers are already entitled under existing ILO Standards, while recognizing their special employment relationship and providing for specific standards to make these rights a reality. Mainstreaming gender within Ministries of Labour Representatives of Ministries of Labour and national gender machineries from Member States of the Organization of American States (OAS) came together in April, for a three-day Workshop on Strategic Planning with a Gender Perspective. Held in Guyana, the Workshop sought to strengthen the capacity of Ministries of Labour in strategic planning and gender mainstreaming. Paula Robinson, ILO Senior Specialist for Workers Activities and Joint Gender Focal Point presented on Decent Work and Gender Equality at the Workshop. Don t waste the crisis: Critical perspectives for a new economic model Price: US$16.00 This collection of short articles examines the causes and consequences of the global financial crisis, with a focus on labour. The authors from academia, international organizations and trade unions present a rich diversity of perspectives and a wide spectrum of critical analyses and recommendations. In search of decent work. Migrant workers rights: A manual for trade unionists 2010 Price: US$18.00 This manual aims to guide the trade union movement s participation in shaping migration policies by promoting sound labour migration practices and reaching out to migrant workers. International Labour Migration: A rights-based approach This study examines trends in international labour migration, its impacts on origin and destination countries, and conditions of work experienced by migrant workers. It also explores how standards can be used in the formulation and implementation of migration policies and practices. Price: Available for sale in South Asia only. Full text is available online at: ILO VACANCIES Please visit the ILO webpage at for a list of current ILO vacancies throughout the world. Qualified candidates from under-represented ILO Caribbean member States are encouraged to apply: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Produced by the Information Unit, ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean, P.O. Box 1201, 6 Stanmore Avenue, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Tel. (868) /7178 Fax (868) ilocarib@ilocarib.org.tt Website: Editor: Roma Wong Sang. Editorial Support Group: Ingerlyn Caines, Angela Colley, Suzanne Joseph, Faida Mendoza. Photographs courtesy: CARICOM, OAS, Jamaica Information Service, Marcel Crozet, Luesette Howell, Hesketh Williams, Elva Clarke (UWI, Mona), Trinidad and Tobago OSH Agency, Shelly Carrington, Sean Wilson, Sharon Patterson. 8