The ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security of Jamaica, the Caribbean Congress of Labour and the Caribbean Employers’ Confederation, will convene a Tripartite Caribbean Conference to discuss the global financial crisis and its social and labour dimensions on 1-2 April 2009 in Kingston, Jamaica.

Theme

As the Caribbean region begins to experience the effects of the global crisis, through the slowdown in demand and falling commodity prices, it is important for policymakers and other key stakeholders to come together to devise policies and strategies for addressing the crisis before it intensifies. While the dialogue has so far focused on bailout plans, there is the need to address the social and labour consequences of the crisis and take immediate action to mitigate its effects.

 

With its tripartite structure, bringing together governments, employers and workers, the ILO is poised to respond to the crisis through the effective use of social dialogue and promotion of the Decent Work Agenda.

Through a participatory approach, involving negotiation and consensus-building among governments, employers and workers, effective solutions can be developed aimed at protecting people, supporting productive enterprises and safeguarding jobs. The strengthening of the institution of social dialogue and deepening partnerships at the enterprise, national and regional levels represent a key part of the solution to overcoming the crisis, not only in the short term but also in the long term.

The objective of the conference is "To offer a space for knowledge sharing and advocacy for the principle and practice of social dialogue to strengthen the input of tripartite constituents in policy and programmatic responses to the global financial crisis."

The participants will be representatives of Ministries of Labour and Ministries of Finance and/or Planning along with representatives of employers' and workers' organizations (based on ILO Governing Body approvals) from the 13 ILO member States and 8 overseas territories of the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean. In addition, a number of international and regional organizations have been invited, including the International Organization of Employers and the International Trade Union Confederation.

Presentations will be made by a distinguished panel of experts who have been working closely on the global financial crisis, including representatives of international and regional organizations, the University of the West Indies, Government Ministries and employers' and workers' organizations.

- An overview of the impact of the crisis on Caribbean countries, highlighted  through sectors such as tourism, oil and gas, minerals, financial services,  etc.

- How the crisis impacts on the actors in the world of work, and the new challenges for the tripartite partners.

- A discussion about different macroeconomic approaches, including those  that have positive social outcomes.

 

- The role that social dialogue can play in promoting sustainable measures to mitigate the negative impact of the crisis on both enterprises and the workforce.

Finally, it is expected that an outcome document will be a tangible output of the Conference.