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Last Updated: May 23, 2017 - 4:14:17 PM |
New Labour Minister calls on National Tripartite Council and Department of Labour Office
By The Bahamas Department of Labour
May 23, 2017 - 2:58:26 PM
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Members of the Tripartite Council: L to R
Dornique Capron-Robinson, Administrative Assistant, Department of Labour; Maxine Duncombe, Treasurer, Ministry of Labour; Rionda Godet, Member, BCCEC; Edison Sumner, Member, CEO - BCCEC; Michelle Patterson, Member, BCCEC; Peter Goudie, Deputy Chairman, BCCEC; Nicole Campbell, Permanent Secretary; Min. Hon. Dion A. Foulkes, Minister of Labour; A. Robert Farquharson, Director, Department of Labour; Jennifer Isaacs-Dotson, Secretary, NCTU; Theresa Mortimer, Member, NCTUB; Althea Albury, Senior Deputy Director, Department of Labour; Morgan Graham, Assistant Director, Department of Labour; Kalin Griffin, Assistant Director, Department of Labour – Eleuthera; Thomas Bastian, Executive Director, CBTUC.
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Nassau, The Bahamas – Hon. Dion A. Foulkes the new Minister of Labour is already making strategic alliances with all partners. Minister Foulkes visited with the National Tripartite Council during its’ monthly meeting at the Bahamas Department of Labour’s Rosetta Street office on Thursday, 18 May, 2017.
The Council is comprised of social partners from the Government, Trade Unions and Employers Confederation who meet monthly to discuss, strategize and develop policies and partnerships in the interest of harmonious relations for their various stakeholders.
In brief remarks to the Council, Minister Foulkes expressed his excitement about the institutionalization of the National Tripartite Council, which was his brainchild back in 1999 when he first became Minister of Labour. Minister Foulkes spoke of his first ILO (International Labour Organization) meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, where it was initially proposed to get every member state to institutionalize by legislation the relationship between the three social partners (The Government, Trade Unions and Employers) on equal footing.
He recalled returning to the Bahamas and creating the first Tripartite Forum (TRIFOR) in 2000 which had about 200 attendees. Legislation was drafted later. He spoke appreciatively of the former Minister of Labour, Shane Gibson, who took over and continued the legislation. Minister Foulkes noted that he was pleased to see that the work continued. Minister Foulkes noted that he looked forward to getting full reports on the work done and having close interaction with all partners and council members.
Council Members in attendance included Peter Goudie, Michelle Patterson, Edison Sumner, Rionda Godet, Maxine Duncombe, Morgan Graham, Althea Albury, Thomas Bastian, Jennifer Isaacs-Dotson, Theresa Mortimer and A. Robert Farquharson. Mrs. Nicole Campbell, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, accompanied the Minister.
Council Member Jennifer IsaacsDotson of the National Congress of Trade Unions (NCTU) said that she looked forward to working with the new Minister to continue the work on amendments to the Labour legislation. She asserted that more work needed to be done to bring legislation into the 21st century as it is still quite archaic. Mrs. Dotson also noted that she would like to see the Bahamas Department of Labour have more “teeth” in dealing with conciliation matters and possibly revamping the conciliation process to give Labour Officers more power in handling conciliation matters. She suggested that the processes of Labour Conciliation and the Industrial Tribunal needed to be examined, and that a lot more could be done in regard to amendment of the country’s industrial relations legislation.
The proper implementation of an Apprenticeship Programme is at the top of the list of matters he would like to see brought to conclusion by the current Labour Minister in short order, said the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) Chairman and National Tripartite Council Member Mr. Edison Sumner.
Mr. Sumner noted that although a separate meeting had already been planned with the new Labour Minister as early as the following week to discuss the way forward, promoting continued good relations with employers to ensure that concerns of employees are being met, as well as revisiting amendments to the Employment and Industrial Relations Acts. He also stated that building on conciliation, mediation, skills and productivity were also important. However, his most pertinent matter for consideration is apprenticeship programmes and looking at different levels of internship in collaboration with the Ministry and the private sector.
Director of Labour A. Robert Farquharson stated that the new Minister has certainly started on day one in connecting with the partners to ensure an excellent working relationship is formed and he looked forward to working with Minister Foulkes on the way forward for continued improvements in regard to Labour Relations in The Bahamas.
Minister Foulkes has already toured the Department of Labour’s Rosetta Street location where he took time to meet with the Senior Management Team and meet all employees at that office on Wednesday, 17 May. The Minister also plans to visit the Robinson Road and Carmichael Road sub-offices.
© Copyright 2017 by thebahamasweekly.com
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