Baptiste-Primus: Work being done on labour legislation

LABOUR Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus says work is “moving apace” on amendments to a number of labour acts.

She made the comment while delivering Labour Day greetings in the Senate on Thursday.

She said the pieces of legislation were the Workmen’s Compensation Act, the Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies, the Industrial Relations Act and the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act, with the last two before the tripartite advisory council for its consideration.

Baptiste-Primus said these pieces of legislation were “designed to build upon the level of protection to both employers and employees as alongside the Government both sectors work together in the spirit of tripartism to enhance the quality of life for all citizens.”

She expressed heartfelt best wishes to the leaders of the trade union movement and affiliated organisations on the 45th anniversary of the celebration of June 19 as Labour Day. She said June 19, 1937, represented the critical point of the period when the local labour movement, still in its infancy stage, “began to stamp its mark and create its impact upon the socio-economic transformation and development of our beloved country.”

“A period of industrial relations consciousness and awareness which ushered in growth, development and expansion of the trade union movement. As we said, and my comrades continue to say in the trade union movement, ‘forward ever, backward never.’”

She said today, thanks to the People’s National Movement Government, “working in close collaboration with the leadership of the trade union movement from as far back as 1956 we have to our credit the only labour college in the Caribbean region established since 1966 – the Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies.”

She also spoke about the “highly respected” Industrial Court established in 1965 “which consistently sets precedence in case law for nations to follow.”

Baptiste-Primus said the nation was endowed with the most widespread range of progressive labour legislation “guaranteeing the preservation and protection of workers’ rights and freedom(s).”

“So as we celebrate Labour Day on June 19, 2018...let us be mindful of those who gave their lives and made unparalleled sacrifices to bring us to this pivotal juncture. Let us pay tribute to those who were unjustifiably abused, accused and imprisoned so that today we can all enjoy vastly improved working conditions.”