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Jennings said, “I am pleased to report that UNI’s affiliates are in fighting form in the Caribbean. They are motivated and organised. During my meetings it was clear that they are committed to UNI’s ‘Breaking Through’ strategy and are enthusiastic about applying it in the region. They can rely on our support and We have a job to do and we will get on with it.”

Coinciding with the General Secretary’s visit, UNI Americas new Regional Secretary Adriana Rosenzvaig also made her much anticipated first visit to the Caribbean from the regional office in Montevideo Uruguay.

Caribbean affiliates from 8 different countries met with UNI in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados hosted by our affiliates BIGWU, TTPWU and CWU in Trinidad and BWU and NUPW in Barbados. Other Caribbean Affiliates NWU St Lucia, BFSU Bahamas, GTAWU Grenada, ABWU Antigua and Barbuda GPTWU Guyana and UAWU & BITU both from Jamaica also met UNI heads and attended meetings to address the Finance and Telecom Sector situations of the Caribbean in particular.

Jennings also visited ILO Offices in Port of Spain Trinidad and the Regional Banks- CIBC First Caribbean in Barbados and Republic Bank Limited in Trinidad and Tobago where strategic discussions were held regarding the direction of future priorities for UNI affiliates in the region working with these organisations and companies.

UNI has identified a few key initiatives for the development of “Breaking Through in the Caribbean” a strategic plan for working with regional affiliates aligned to UNI’s global strategy with a focus on Organising, Framework Agreements and capacity building of unions in the following areas

· Telecom: Cable and Wireless & Digicel

· Finance: CIBC First Caribbean, Royal Bank of Canada/ RBTT, Republic Bank Limited

· Private Security : G4S

· Postal : UNI Caribbean Postal Conference / Caribbean Postal Union

· UNI Caribbean Youth Leadership Training

· UNI Caribbean Strategic Planning Meeting

UNI Telecom meeting affiliates identified the proliferation of contract work that eliminates many benefits and results in the underemployment of many young workers as well as the very aggressive competition and marketing strategy in the Telecom mobile market as key areas for attention.

Serious challenges faced by Finance Sector workers due to constant restructuring and the threat of job losses at the Banks were highlighted at the regional level.

Challenges to timely and unrestricted Recognition rights of Unions to represent workers now in existing in Trinidad and Tobago and Bahamas also alarmed the UNI delegation and affiliates and UNI calls for urgent and coordinated attention from the National Federations and UNI affiliates of the Caribbean.

The on-going privatisation of the Postal Sector and the expansive growth in Private Security jobs were also identified for action by UNI Caribbean affiliates as many of these workers are being exploited and obtain very poor salaries and benefits when compared to organised workers.