November 19 marks day one of a two-day workshop organized by the Ministry of Labor in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO) on labor standards with the aim to strengthen labor relations in the public service.

The Validation workshop will focus on the “Plan of Action for the Implementation in Antigua and Barbuda of the ILO Convention 151 Labor Relations and Public Service Convention 151”

Workers’ Activities Specialist on the ILO’s Decent Work Team and the Office of the Caribbean Vera Guseva describes the importance of that convention.

“Convention 151 plays a crucial role in enhancing labor rights for public workers, contributing to more equitable and effective governance”.

She adds that it establishes essential rights for public sector workers promoting their ability to organize, engage in collective bargaining and ensuring protection against discrimination in labor relations.

Minister of Labor, Attorney General Steadroy Benjamin who declared the workshop opened says Antigua and Barbuda must always be in the forefront of labor matters.

He adds that the country has ratified 38 conventions and two protocols: the labor relations public service convention 1978 C151 being one such convention.

Benjamin notes that in Antigua and Barbuda while the convention aims to encourage governments to extend the right to organize and to bargain collectively to all public servants traditionally the military and the police are not strictly afforded these rights.

He questions whether the time had come for this group of workers to be granted their full rights as guaranteed under the constitution.

Meanwhile, President of the Antigua and Barbuda Employers Federation Carl Spencer describes Antigua and Barbuda’s labor relations environment as one with a rich history “built on the foundations of resilience, collaboration and shared purpose.”