Deborah Thomas-Felix: Nothing personal in third book's title

YOU ARE FIRED! is the name of former president of the Industrial Court Deborah Thomas-Felix’s newest book, and it has nothing to do with the fact her contract for the position was not renewed in December 2023 after 12 years of service.

Speaking to Newsday in a phone interview last week, she said she started to do the research for a book on dismissal in August 2023. The title came to her while she was in Geneva, Switzerland, for the ILO in November 2023, about a month before the non-renewal of her contract.

She was in Washington on business when she got the news, and decided “not to treat with that”; then she had Carnival to enjoy.

It was not until February that she started thinking about the book again and came up with the concept of the cover artwork. She started writing in March and, between her various commitments, finished it in early May.

You Are Fired! was launched on September 14, just three days before the opening of the 2024-2025 law term of the Industrial Court. She said the book was uploaded to Amazon in July and it was simply a coincidence that some printing and event-location issues postponed the launch.

“There was actually no thought about the opening of court or anything like that, because court and those things no longer factor in my brain. I’m very good at compartmentalising.”

The book covers several areas of labour law, employment law and industrial relations, discussing dismissal, the importance of work, workplace-related issues, the right to be heard and other topics.

At the launch she said her aim was to demystify the dismissal process and provide a guide to ensure fair and legal dismissals which were handled with respect for everyone involved.

She said the introduction highlighted the importance of employment, as having a job was not just earning an income but a source of stability, identity and self-worth. It provided purpose and structure, and formed the backbone of a country’s economic and social stability.

“This is why the process of dismissal must be approached with utmost care, fairness and legal precision. A poorly handled dismissal can have devastating effects, not just on the individual concerned, but also on their families and by extension the wider community.”

She described it as a textbook for judges, lawyers and industrial-relations practitioners to use in court as a reference. And because of the simple language used, it was also relatively easy reading for anyone interested in understanding the processes of good industrial relations, especially with all the “significant and transformative changes” happening in the world of work.

“Traditional long-term employment relationships are becoming less common, giving way to more fluid and flexible forms of work such as gig work, remote work, part-time engagements and short-term contracts.

“While these new forms of employment offer flexibility, they also offer challenges, particularly in terms of job security and the protection of workers’ rights. This evolution makes it even more crucial for employers and workers to understand their rights and their responsibilities.”

She also highlighted the importance of the trade-union movement, which she said had been weakening in many parts of the world in recent decades. She said trade unions were critical in the protection of workers’ rights, ensuring fair treatment and providing a collective voice in the workplace. And if unions lost their influence, individual workers could find themselves more vulnerable and the many gains enjoyed over the last century would be eroded.

“Historically, unions have been a powerful force for economic and social justice. They have played a key role in securing fair wages, decent and safe working conditions and the protection of workers’ rights. Trade unions have also been instrumental in advocating for broader social policies that benefits the working class such as health care, education, social security and social protection.

“Beyond the workplace, trade unions have contributed to the stability and the cohesion of communities by providing collective voice for workers, they have helped to reduce inequality, promote social mobility and foster a sense of solidarity among individuals who might otherwise feel powerless. As I have stated in the past, ‘Labour is at the heart of a society’s human, social and economic development.’”

She said the decline of trade unions could be linked to social decay, including the rising crime rates. Economic inequality was growing, social cohesion was shrinking, and it could lead to an increase in social unrest, political polarisation and other forms of social instability.

She said as the nature of work continued to change, trade unions had to consider finding innovative ways of reaching new members and changing their business model in order to be revitalised.

She said with factors like digital technology, the gig economy, the green economy, demographic shifts and climate change, employers may have to be responsible for guiding the transition with a commitment to ethical leadership, innovation and social responsibility.

They had to prioritise sustainabilty, ensure their organisations were technologically advanced and invest in their workers by providing training as well as an inclusive, adaptable and resilient workplace.

“The importance for the country’s economic and social progress and stability with groups and organisations which champion the rights of workers, which champion fairness, integrity and equality of treatment for all, cannot be overstated.”

You Are Fired! was Thomas-Felix's third book on the topic of labour law. The first two were Labour Law in the Commonwealth Caribbean: The Practice of Good Industrial Relations in the 21st Century, and Labour Law and Good Industrial Relations: Progressive Discipline and Maternity Protection in the Workplace.

She also co-wrote Domestic and Gender-Based Violence.

She told Newsday while some friends suggested she write a five-part series on labour law, she had no plans to write another book on the topic.

“I do not have any plans to write any more on this area, but one never knows. I think I may have to start writing children’s books,” she joked.

“If there is something I’m interested in or passionate about, or I feel there is a need to have learning or teaching in that area, then I’m all for it.”

She added that had been approached by two people to co-author books, not in the area of industrial relations, and she was considering it.

Meanwhile, Thomas-Felix was still one of the judges of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Administrative Tribunal, where she had court remotely most times, and on the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations. She also made appearances at various international events to deliver lectures and speeches.

“There are 187 countries who are member-states to the ILO. The UN has 193. And these 187 countries would have all ratified various conventions and they present reports to the Committee of Experts, the supervisory arm of the ILO. We are independent experts from throughout the world and our role is to supervise the application of the conventions and regulations.”

Governments would write reports on how they implemented the conventions and the committee would revise them, deciding if they were correctly applied, and making recommendations.

“The governments usually respond favourably to the recommendations we make. If they do not, we will repeat it and, after a period of time, our report is placed before the International Labour Convention conference.

“It’s like naming and shaming, and countries try not to get on that report. Obviously these things have implications for the government of that country.”

At the ILO she specialised in maritime conventions, the Seafarers and Fishers Convention, occupational safety and health conventions and the Forced Labour Convention. She is also an expert in international administrative law, securities and exchange, environmental advocacy and management, and more.