The Caribbean Employers’ Confederation and the Caribbean Congress of Labour are convening the Second Regional Bipartite Meeting under the EU-Funded Project in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.  The meeting will bring together some 35 representatives from national trade union and employers’ organizations from the 15 CARIFORUM countries covered under the Project.

This Regional Bipartite Meeting will essentially be dedicated to discuss and adopt joint policy positions which the regional organizations CCL and CEC will advocate and promote within CARICOM forums and their affiliates will champion at the national level. Issues to be dealt with during the three-day meeting will include:

• Promotion and Application of ILO Fundamental Conventions in National Law;
• Strategies to advance the representation of CEC and CCL within regional social dialogue mechanisms;
• Contract Labour and Free Movement;
• Maintaining a Fair Playing Field while Respecting OSH Standards and Increasing Competitiveness;
• Minimum Wage-setting to Advance Decent Work and Improved Living Standards;
• Social Protection for All;
• Protecting People and Employment: A Path to Sustainable Development;
• Environmental and Economic Sustainability;
• Aligning Education Outcomes with the Needs of the Labour Market;
• Legislation and regulation to promote greater regional integration.

The Meeting will also decide on the actions and activities to be implemented as a priority to achieve the results desired before the Project comes to a close on 1 February 2018.