The Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) wants the next government to facilitate the appointment of a CTUSAB seat in the Senate.
This is just part of CTUSAB’s 15-point agenda which General Secretary Dennis De Peiza has said will be placed before the government that wins Wednesday’s general election.
De Peiza said his organisation would also be asking the new government to recognize it as the voice of labour at meetings of the Social Partnership and to allow its participation at the annual meetings of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) as the workers’ delegate or advisor.
He complained that under the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) and Barbados Labour Party (BLP) administrations, many of the issues repeatedly submitted for consideration, discussion and resolution have not been addressed.
“It is therefore the expectation of labour, that a newly-elected Government of Barbados will commit to engaging in consultation with CTUSAB at the bilateral level and that of the Social Partnership of Barbados, in treating to matters,” he stated.
Another item, the general secretary added, is the appointment of a CTUSAB nominee on all state-owned enterprises as the labour representative.
De Peiza proposed as matters for consideration: “The appointment of senior public officers on contract; the establishment of a Teaching Services Commission; the establishment of a Nurses’ Commission and the allocation of funds from Government’s Training Levy for workers’ education, training and development purposes.”
He also plans to ask the incoming Government to restore the structure and form of the Social Partnership as established under successive protocols.
Also on the CTUSAB agenda are discussions at the level of the subcommittee of the Social Partnership focusing on issues of governance and management and the engaging of the organisation in the consultation process with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding the annual country review meetings.
The labour body, according to De Peiza, also intends to ask the new administration to energise Protocol Vll of the Social Partnership, address its proposal for an Occupational Safety and Health Workplace Committee Training Project and include a representative from CTUSAB in the delegation of the Government to meetings of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
CTUSAB also intends to ask for Government’s assistance with its Memorial to Barbados Labour Project.
“CTUSAB remains steadfast in its commitment to work with the incoming Government and urges that it directs its attention at promoting the welfare and interest of workers, safeguarding and promoting the rights of workers, protecting and enhancing the gains which labour has made over the years and through policies and programmes to be implemented, promote the empowerment and development of workers, and the creation of sustainable employment opportunities,” De Peiza concluded. (EJ)
