December 16, 2016: Senator the Honourable Jennifer Baptiste-Primus, Minister of Labour and Small Enterprise Development expressed her confidence in the newly appointed members of the Industrial Relations Advisory Committee adding that she knew they will work hard in the interest of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. The Minister of Labour also told the 15 member Committee that she was heartened by the varied skills sets of its members, who will enhance the work of the Committee and she was comforted by the fact that there was continuity in the Committee, which is chaired by Dr. Hyacinth Guy, who also chaired the previous IRA Committee.
The Minister of Labour presented the Board members with their Instruments of Appointment and took the opportunity to acknowledge the work of the previous Committee. The previous IRA Committee was responsible for the preparation of several, critically important documents, whose content informed two of the Ministry’s Consultations held this year. Minister further commented on the Tripartite composition of the Committee and reiterated this Government’s commitment to ensure that all the policy areas that fall under the remit of this Committee are given the required attention. Some of these areas include:
- Basic Terms and Conditions of Work/Employee Rights Legislation;
- The establishment and administration on an Unemployment Insurance Scheme or Severance Benefits Fund or both;
- The definition of “trade dispute” under the IRA;
- The application/implementation of Freedom of Association by the IRA; and
- Consideration of a more effective and simple alternative to the current recognition and registration process.
The newly appointed Industrial Relations Advisory Committee received their Instruments of Appointment from Senator the Honourable Jennifer Baptiste-Primus, Minister of Labour and Small Enterprise Development at the Ministry’s Head Office on Thursday December 15, 2016.
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