BARBADOS' LABOR RELATIONS TODAY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 001836 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR AND DRL USDOL FOR ILAB SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2016 TAGS: ELAB ECON PGOV PREL BB XL SUBJECT: BARBADOS' LABOR RELATIONS TODAY Classified By: CDA Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (U) Summary: In the four decades since independence, Barbados has enjoyed a relatively calm industrial relations environment, with successive governments focused on ensuring social stability by promoting economic progress of all socio-economic groups. The history of Barbados is intertwined with that of its labor movement, and as a result, labor enjoys much public sympathy and support. With globalization and increased regional integration as well as competition, Barbados is facing new pressures on its labor relations system, but these pressures are unlikely in the near term to force significant changes to a system, which many Barbadians cherish and on which many feel they depend for their economic well-being. End Summary. The Nexus of Labor, History, and Politics -------------- ¶2. (U) Labor played a key role in the movement for the country's independence, and to this day, continues to influence Barbadian politics (septel). Both major political parties in Barbados proudly proclaim their roots in the labor movement, and both include "labour" in their names. Barbados' governments, whether led by the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) or the Democratic Labour Party (DLP),have cultivated labor support through policies protecting workers' rights and interests. The success of these policies is apparent in the relative political and social stability enjoyed by Barbados since independence. Labor continues to attract much public support and sympathy, as it is widely viewed as an important part of the country's heritage and history. ¶3. (U) Barbadian political leaders are well aware of labor's continued influence and work assiduously to cultivate its support. In the run-up to the next parliamentary election, expected to be called in 2007, both parties have been busy courting the unions and their members. For example, at the recent conference of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations, Prime Minister Owen Arthur pledged his government's full support, including financial support, to the trade union movement. David Thompson, the leader of the opposition, has also vowed to support the unions and has spoken out against liberalization of immigration laws that could place Barbadian jobs in jeopardy. In a recent meeting with PolOff, Harry Husbands, head of the Barbados Employers' Confederation (BEC),noted that when it comes to labor issues, there is no ideological divide between the BLP and the DLP, a point echoed by other observers of local politics. ¶4. (U) Labor's continued influence in Barbados is due in no small measure to the strength of the local unions. According to the Chief Labour Officer Edla Lowe, between 25 to 30 percent of Barbadian workers belong to a union. Many more are covered by collective agreements, which extend the same benefits and protections to all workers in a particular industry. Key sectors of the economy are unionized, including the airport, seaport, tourism, education, and agriculture, which gives labor added power and voice in negotiations. Barbados has only two major labor unions, the Barbados Workers' Union and the National Union of Public Workers. With two strong unions and no competition between them, Barbados' labor has been able to focus on organizing and maintaining their high profile in the country's politics. The Social Partnership -------------- ¶5. (U) The Social Partnership, introduced in 1993, is the cornerstone of Barbados' mostly voluntary labor relations system (septel). Born out of the economic and financial crisis facing Barbados in the early 1990's, the Partnership is grounded in a tri-partite consultative mechanism. Government, labor, and employers' representatives meet usually on a monthly basis to discuss industrial relations, but increasingly other issues have been added to the agenda. For example, Prime Minister Arthur recently called on the Social Partnership to consider not only matters such as the social security system and the CARICOM Single Market Economy (CSME),but also lifestyle issues. Over the years, the Social Partnership, with its emphasis on consultation and cooperation, has therefore become an important part of the country's political, social, and economic fabric. ¶6. (U) The Social Partnership's emphasis on consultation has had a significant impact on how labor disputes are resolved in Barbados. Although work stoppages are not uncommon, they are usually of very short duration because the three social partners try to resolve matters quickly. According to Husbands, whose BEC keeps statistics on work stoppages, most work stoppages are by workers in the public sector and last only a day or so. The system is not perfect, however, as the recent sick-out by the air traffic controllers demonstrated. Their grievances, chief among them transportation to and from work, were allowed to fester for months, and it was not until the sick-out threatened to shut down air traffic in the country's only airport that the government quickly stepped in and addressed their concerns. Impact on Business -------------- ¶7. (C) Most Barbadian businesses generally support the Social Partnership, and even its critics acknowledge its benefits. In a recent meeting with PolOff, Dick Stoute, president of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry, called the Social Partnership "a lot of hot air," but admitted that the Partnership could be useful in times of economic crisis. BEC's Husbands, a decided supporter of the Partnership, said that it has served to deepen the country's democratic processes. He noted, as one example of the Partnership's positive impact, the budgetary process, wherein the employers, unions, and other interest groups now have an unprecedented opportunity to consult the government and influence its decisions. ¶8. (SBU) Despite this general support, some employers would prefer a more rules-based labor relations system, as opposed to the Social Partnership's voluntarism and lack of regulation. According to Husbands, foreign investors especially are looking for more clarity and transparency in employer-employee relations because they are not accustomed to resolving issues through informal consultations. The government is at present preparing a set of regulations concerning occupational health and safety, but no regulations are in place to govern such key issues as recognition of unions. ¶9. (U) The strong public sympathies toward labor have been both a blessing and a burden for local businesses. Local companies have sometimes sought to block foreign competitors from entering the Barbadian market with claims that increased competition could threaten their business and therefore the jobs they provide. That is exactly the argument that Chefette, a local fast food chain, recently used in attempting to block Subway's plans to enter the market. However, the strong public sympathies toward labor usually handicap Barbados employers in the arena of public relations, and as a result, local business may not always have the option of doing what makes the most business sense. For example, the introduction of luggage carts at the airport this summer sparked an unexpected public outcry because the carts would threaten the livelihood of the few dozen "redcaps" or porters working at the airport. The redcaps became overnight celebrities and suddenly came to be viewed--at least by the media--as an integral part of the Barbadian tourist sector. The airport backed down, the luggage carts disappeared, and the redcaps' jobs are safer than ever. New Pressures and Challenges -------------- ¶10. (C) The Barbadian emphasis on stability has led some to charge that Barbados is unprepared to compete in the global economy and unable to respond to change. For example, Stoute criticized the Barbadians' preoccupation with stability and worried that the country's overly-protected economic environment has led to complacency and lower productivity. However, Wayne Fields, a partner in the local branch of Price Waterhouse Coopers, expressed a contrasting view when he noted that Barbados' stability has been one factor which has figured prominently in the calculus of foreign investors. According to Fields, Barbados could never compete with tax havens like the Cayman Islands, but it has nevertheless managed to attract foreign investors who are looking for a stable environment in which to establish and grow "active" businesses. ¶11. (U) Furthermore, the emphasis on stability seems to have been gradually weakening in recent years. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Arthur, Barbados has been at the forefront of pressing the Caribbean region toward greater economic integration. While most Barbadians would probably agree that this move toward greater openness is necessary, there are undercurrents of concern among some Barbadian workers. Construction workers and domestics are frequently cited as examples of workers whose jobs and wages are being threatened by immigrant workers already entering Barbados both legally and illegally from other parts of the Caribbean. While the government has so far managed quite skillfully to keep the lid on serious opposition to its policies, further opening of the labor market could become increasingly politically charged, especially in advance of the next parliamentary elections. Comment -------------- ¶12. (C) As Barbados approaches its next parliamentary elections in 2007, labor's profile and influence will likely increase. Already, political leaders of both parties are working to shore up their support within the unions. Barbadian labor's close ties to the country's history, especially to the independence movement, will ensure that labor will retain its influence even after the polls close on election day. That influence, however, may come at a price. The unions have been, in essence, co-opted into the political process through their participation in the Social Partnership. Already, some have criticized union leaders for being more concerned with the smooth functioning of the Social Partnership, rather than promoting the interests of workers. This criticism could become more widespread, if the workers begin to feel they are being inadequately protected from the challenges posed by regional integration and globalization. The Social Partnership could also be undermined by the growing number of issues with which the social partners are tasked. Their agenda could become so diffuse and overloaded that it could paralyze the entire Social Partnership process. GILROY