Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

Collective Bargaining Convention, 1981 (No. 154) - Saint Lucia (Ratification: 2000)

The Committee notes that, according to the Government’s report in response to its previous request for information, the matters subject to collective bargaining include general conditions of employment as well as other matters that may affect employees’ welfare, such as rates of pay, job description, hours of work, overtime, allowances, transportation, annual and other leave payments. It further notes the information provided by the Government that statistics on the number of workers covered by such agreements were not available, and that 27 collective agreements were signed in 2008 in the manufacturing, electricity and water, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants and hotels, financing, insurance and services industries.

Article 1 of the Convention. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government that in practice workers in the protective services, which comprise fire service and prison officers, have exercised their right to bargain. It further notes that the Government indicates that, apart from those workers, the Convention applies to all workers in general. In this regard, the Committee recalls that the Convention applies to workers in the fire services and prison officers and accordingly requests the Government to take the necessary measures to amend the legislation to accord with the existing practice in relation to fire service workers and prison officers so as to ensure that they are able to enjoy formal rights to collective bargaining as guaranteed by the Convention.

Article 6. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government indicating that the framework of conciliation and arbitration machinery for collective bargaining purposes involves conciliation services provided by the Department of Labour; mediation services provided by the Minister of Labour; and arbitration provided by ad hoc tribunals appointed pursuant to the Registration, Status and Recognition of Trade Unions and Employers Organizations Act. The Committee requests the Government to provide details, in its next report, of any internal rules or regulations relating to the three components of the conciliation and arbitration machinery for collective bargaining purposes.

Article 7. Noting that the Government has indicated that there are no measures to promote the development of collective bargaining, the Committee invites the Government to consider undertaking consultations with workers’ and employers’ organizations with the aim of reaching agreement on measures (including but not limited to circulars, seminars, publications and incentives) to encourage and promote the development of collective bargaining.