Barbados - 2011

Population: 256,000
Capital: Bridgetown
As with the previous year, 2010 saw restrictions on the exercise of the right to organise owing to the government’s refusal to recognise certain unions. Workers who have been able to unionise experienced difficulties fully exercising their rights. The right to collective bargaining collective bargaining The process of negotiating mutually acceptable terms and conditions of employment as well as regulating industrial relations between one or more workers’ representatives, trade unions, or trade union centres on the one hand and an employer, a group of employers or one or more employers’ organisations on the other.

See collective bargaining agreement
has still not been regulated by law, stripping the mechanism of its effectiveness. Legislation tolerating certain anti-union practices, such as dismissal for union activities, is also still in place.
ILO Core Conventions Ratified:
29 Forced Labour (1930) 87 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (1948) 98 Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949) 100 Equal Remuneration for Work of Equal Value (1951) 105 Abolition of Forced Labour (1957) 111 Discrimination in Employment and Occupation (1958) 138 Minimum Age for Employment (1973) 182 Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (1999)

reported violations - 2011

Murders: none reported
Attempted Murders: none reported
Threats: none reported
Injuries: none reported
Arrests: none reported
Imprisonments: none reported
Dismissals: none reported
Documented violations - actual number of cases may be higher

Background

Barbados is a parliamentary democracy, modelled on the British system. The most recent parliamentary elections, in January 2008, saw the victory of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), bringing an end to the 14-year rule of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP). David Thompson was appointed as prime minister.

As part of its efforts to tackle the financial and economic crisis, Barbados announced a strengthening of its social dialogue social dialogue Discussion and co-operation between the social partners on matters of common interest, such as economic and social policy. Involves participation by the state where tripartism is practice. mechanisms. In this respect, it should be noted that the unemployment rate in the country was 10.6%. The government also announced that it had launched a mass media campaign to promote policies against child labour, particularly its worst forms.

ILO Core Conventions Ratified:
29 Forced Labour (1930) 87 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (1948) 98 Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949) 100 Equal Remuneration for Work of Equal Value (1951) 105 Abolition of Forced Labour (1957) 111 Discrimination in Employment and Occupation (1958) 138 Minimum Age for Employment (1973) 182 Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (1999)
Population: 256,000
Capital: Bridgetown

reported violations- 2011

Documented violations - actual number of cases may be higher

Trade union rights in law

Despite some initial guarantees, trade union rights are not sufficiently secured in law. While the law secures the right to form unions except for members of the armed forces, employers have no legal obligation to recognise unions. Anti-union activities are not prohibited, and although workers who are wrongfully dismissed can apply to the courts, this right is very limited since judges generally award compensation instead of reinstatement. Furthermore, despite having ratified ILO International Labour Organization A tripartite United Nations (UN) agency established in 1919 to promote working and living conditions. The main international body charged with developing and overseeing international labour standards.

See tripartism, ITUC Guide to international trade union rights Convention 98, the right to collective bargaining collective bargaining The process of negotiating mutually acceptable terms and conditions of employment as well as regulating industrial relations between one or more workers’ representatives, trade unions, or trade union centres on the one hand and an employer, a group of employers or one or more employers’ organisations on the other.

See collective bargaining agreement
is not explicitly recognised. Since 1993, a set of protocols has provided for increases in wages, and the fifth Prices and Incomes Protocol was signed by government, the private sector and union representatives in 2005.
Additional information regarding the legislation
ILO Core Conventions Ratified:
29 Forced Labour (1930) 87 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (1948) 98 Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949) 100 Equal Remuneration for Work of Equal Value (1951) 105 Abolition of Forced Labour (1957) 111 Discrimination in Employment and Occupation (1958) 138 Minimum Age for Employment (1973) 182 Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (1999)
Population: 256,000
Capital: Bridgetown

reported violations - 2011

Documented violations - actual number of cases may be higher

In practice

No progress on right to unionise: The government and employers have refused to recognise unions on a number of occasions over recent years.
Right to organise remains weak: Employers refuse to recognise unions in some instances, being under no legal obligation to do so. The Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), affiliated to the ITUC, has called on the government to make the recognition recognition The designation by a government agency of a union as the bargaining agent for workers in a given bargaining unit, or acceptance by an employer that its employees can be collectively represented by a union. of unions obligatory, provided that the requirements are met in terms of representativeness.
Government neither supports nor guarantees collective bargaining: In the absence of legal requirements, collective bargaining collective bargaining The process of negotiating mutually acceptable terms and conditions of employment as well as regulating industrial relations between one or more workers’ representatives, trade unions, or trade union centres on the one hand and an employer, a group of employers or one or more employers’ organisations on the other.

See collective bargaining agreement
is only practised where there is good will between the parties or a tradition of such negotiations. The negotiations are generally restricted to four areas: minimum wages, working hours and conditions, recruitment procedures, and disciplinary and grievance procedures. Despite recognising unions, employers often refuse to negotiate a collective agreement with them.
Anti-union discrimination: There are no laws prohibiting anti-union discrimination anti-union discrimination Any practice that disadvantages a worker or a group of workers on grounds of their past, current or prospective trade union membership, their legitimate trade union activities, or their use of trade union services. Can constitute dismissal, transfer, demotion, harassment and the like.

See Guide to the ITUC international trade union rights framework

 , which facilitates anti-union practices. As a result, workers dismissed for union activities are rarely able to secure reinstatement and only receive compensation if they secure a court ruling in their favour. According to the BWU (Barbados Workers’ Union), a law should be adopted to make it an offence punishable by the courts for employers to deny this human right to associate freely.
ILO Core Conventions Ratified:
29 Forced Labour (1930) 87 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (1948) 98 Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949) 100 Equal Remuneration for Work of Equal Value (1951) 105 Abolition of Forced Labour (1957) 111 Discrimination in Employment and Occupation (1958) 138 Minimum Age for Employment (1973) 182 Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (1999)
Population: 256,000
Capital: Bridgetown

reported violations - 2011

Documented violations - actual number of cases may be higher
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