In truth and in fact, right here in our very beautiful country, including most if not the majority of countries in the Caribbean, Trade Unions can and have applied to their Department of Labour which has similar powers to function like the National Labour Relations Act (NLRA) in the United States of America (USA) has, but somehow failed to use their offices to protect the weaker members in the marketplace.
Here again, very careful research has clearly shown us that ALL Trade Unions the world over ensure that employers comply with the law and can and do lodge appeals at the different Department of Labour or the competent authority in charge of industrial relations or even in a Court of Law if employers fail to comply with the relevant law or do not respect the decisions of the different authorizes.
Finally, we shall now look briefly at legislation.
The vast majority of us have now accepted and agreed that Trade Unions has played and continue to play a key role in developing Labour Laws and regulations for effective worker protection.
It is also common knowledge that Trade Unions right from their very inception have and continue to initiate the continued push for regulation in areas that concern employees at the workplace. In fact, they have consistently lobbied for the creation of Laws and Regulations and disseminate information to their members and by extension all workers about them.
In fact, right here in our very beautiful country we have seen the Labour Movement pass such measures as the Social Security Act, Protection of Employment Act, Protection of Wages Act, Holiday with Pay Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act, just to mention a few, that came into existence as a result of the Labour Movement efforts for better terms and conditions for all workers.
Additionally, the St. Kitts-Nevis Trades & Labour Union continues to monitor the status of the different Acts to ensure that they are properly enforced.
As time is of the utmost importance, we shall stop here for today, but shall continue in a future article when we look at workers recognizing the importance of Trade Unions in protecting their rights.
As I end here for today, I leave you with a quote by Andy Stern, a poem by Emma Rosenthal, and a song by Woody Gathrie and Millard Lampell.
“Today I send this message to every emerging global corporation: “Justice; family, community, and Union” are the same in every language and, wherever you go and whatever you do, a new Global Labour Movement is coming to find you.” – Andy Stern.