Skip to playerSkip to main content
CCNTV6
  • 1 year ago
Labour representatives from around the region are in Trinidad for a symposium on Dispute Resolution, titled, 'Making Labour Justice Accessible to All'. The event is being hosted by the International Labour Organisation, which says the goal is to reach consensus on effective dispute resolution systems, while also mitigating unfair labour practices- starting by addressing the issues of contract work and de-unionisation. Rynessa Cutting reports.
Transcript
00:00It's long been a cry of the trade unions, now it's being echoed by the global body tasked
00:06with setting labour standards, the International Labour Organization.
00:11The question of who is a worker, the definition in the law of who is a worker and the reality
00:17on the ground.
00:18The definition is such that it is now precluding maybe 20, 30 and in some countries up to 40
00:24percent of the workforce.
00:26And with that preclusion from the definition of worker in the legislation is therefore
00:31an erosion of the rights of that category of workers.
00:34And this, I think, this issue of contract workers, if I would put it simply, is probably
00:38the biggest challenge.
00:40And once you are a contract worker, it means your access to social security, contributory
00:45benefits, it means your right to a fair dismissal processes are really curtailed.
00:51And these are the challenges that we are facing.
00:53The accompanying trend towards de-unionization is also of concern to the international labour
00:59body.
01:00Fundamental principles and rights at work, that workers have a right to organize.
01:06Once you are precluded from the definition of worker, it means you are precluded from
01:10the right to organize.
01:12And that makes it difficult for unions to get more members.
01:16So one of the major challenges we are facing in the world of work today is actually the
01:20declining unionization rate.
01:22It is a concerning trend globally.
01:24If I could give some figures, unionization collectively is now globally below 10%.
01:34In the public sector, it's a bit higher, but it is also declining in there because we are
01:39also seeing the rising proliferation of contract workers, even in the public service.
01:45Issues surrounding the rights of workers who are employed by foreign employers will also
01:50be addressed at the symposium.
01:52The issue of the gig economy, that you can work here in Trinidad, but actually you are
01:57performing services for a company offshore.
02:00And therefore your employer is not in your own country.
02:03Once there's a dispute, and this is one of the things they'll be discussing, between
02:07the employee in one country and actually the employer in another country, then it makes
02:12it very difficult what jurisdiction are we going to use to assist this worker to get
02:17access to justice.
02:19The ILO director was speaking at the first sub-regional symposium on labour justice,
02:25which when concluded, will see participants reach consensus on policies and procedures
02:30to ensure labour justice for all.
02:32At the end of this symposium, we are discussing how can we ensure that dispute resolution
02:39mechanisms can be available to the large majority of workers, with or without the concern about
02:45what is the definition.
02:48How can we bring justice closer to home for the majority of workers, particularly the
02:54workers that are, let's say, at the bottom of the pyramid.
02:58Also present at the symposium was the Ministry of Labour, which said it intends to reform
03:02a suite of labour legislation as it seeks to bring all our laws to international best
03:08standard.
03:09At least 13 pieces of legislation that we are looking to, that are in different stages
03:15of redrafting.
03:18One of the major ones is the Industrial Relations Act and the Occupational Safety and Health
03:23Act.
03:24The Public Services Association says among the changes it would like to see is reformation
03:30as it pertains to the definition of a worker, to include provisions for essential workers,
03:35public servants and officers, under the such categories of special workers.
03:41If they are to be prohibited from engaging in any kind of industrial action, then they
03:47must put a burden on the state to maintain their standard of living.
03:54Because it cannot be, Vanessa, that a man could sit down with a woman, could stand idly
04:01by and see that you were working for $6,000 a month and 10 years pass, your purchasing
04:10power is now, that $6,000 is worth $4,000 really.
04:15And then you are now unable to meet your bills, you are now unable to take care of your family
04:20and you have to do what, sit there and you can't do nothing to advance your interests
04:24and welfare?
04:26That makes you a slave, yes?
04:29And that could not have been the intention of the law.
04:31The PSA president estimates that contract workers make up roughly 60% of the public
04:37workforce.
04:38Vanessa Khateng, TV6 News.
Be the first to comment
Add your comment