BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Thursday 1st October 2026)- Dr. Simon Black, PhD, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Labour Studies at Brock University in Canada, has been announced as the Guest Speaker for the upcoming 87th Annual Conference of the St. Kitts-Nevis Trades and Labour Union (SKNT&LU), as the countdown gets underway for this year’s gathering of workers.
This year’s conference is slated to take place on Sunday 25th October 2026 at 10:00 a.m., in the Conference Room of the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) building, Taylor’s Range, Basseterre. All attendees are asked to be seated by 9:45 a.m.
This year’s Conference will be held under the theme: ‘Stronger Union, Stronger Workers, Stronger Nation: United in Partnership for Progress.’
As customary, the event will feature two sessions, beginning with a public session, followed by a business session reserved for members of the Union.
General Secretary Precious Mills has expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming event, particularly the opportunity for workers to engage in discussions surrounding the importance of trade unionism, membership growth and collective progress.
“We are definitely looking forward to welcoming our members and workers in general to the upcoming Conference. We are equally delighted to have Dr. Black as our Guest Speaker, and he is looking forward to sharing with the audience on this year’s theme and other relevant areas,” Mills stated.
She emphasised that it is critically important for both unionised and non-unionised workers to understand the significance of belonging to a trade union and the role such representation plays in advancing their interests.
According to Mills, the work of the Union is dynamic and expansive, extending beyond individual workplace matters to broader national discussions aimed at improving the working environment and strengthening labour protections.
“One area of advancement that the Union is looking forward to relates to the work being undertaken at the National Tripartite Committee level towards the Federation’s first-ever Labour Code. We see this as an opportunity to strengthen areas of existing labour legislation, many of which are antiquated,” she explained.
Mills further pointed to the relationship between workers and their representative body as a central focus of this year’s conference theme.
“Workers need to fully recognise and understand that their voices matter, and with this year’s theme, we are aiming to place emphasis on that. The relationship between workers and the Union is significantly critical. We also want members and workers in general to understand that the Union is made stronger through its membership base, and so we continue to urge workers to become members,” she said.
Meanwhile, the SKNT&LU General Secretary highlighted the importance of the Conference’s business session, which provides members with an opportunity to participate directly in the administrative and decision-making affairs of the organisation.
“An important aspect of the conference is the business session, when we get into the administrative affairs of the Union as a union family. You have to be a member to participate in this session, which includes matters such as the General Secretary’s Report, as well as the election of a new Executive Body for another term,” Mills outlined.
The Union is encouraging members, workers and other interested stakeholders to attend the public session as it continues to promote workers’ solidarity, stronger representation and meaningful partnership in advancing the interests of working people throughout St. Kitts and Nevis.
For further information about the conference, interested persons may contact the Union at 1-869-465-2229, email info@sknunion.com or skntlu1940@gmail.com, or visit its Facebook page.
