The Honourable Minister responsible for Labour, Mrs. Cora Richardson Hodge, has drawn attention to the partially-enacted new Labour Code for Anguilla in which certain aspects of its provisions still require further research.
She has, however, stressed that some very important aspects of the law, such as Employee Relations, have so far been addressed. These include job security, disciplinary measures, complaints and dispute resolution.
The Minister of Home Affairs spoke on Employee Relations and other matters in her 2019 Labour Day Speech on Wednesday, May 1. Her address was sent to The Anguillian newspaper and other media houses for publication. The full text is published below:
On this the anniversary of another Labour Day, when I look back at where Anguilla was just one year ago, I can’t help but be proud of the strides that the country has made in general and in relation to its working population.
Last year when I spoke to you it was to comment on the devastation experienced as a result of Hurricane Irma, and the disastrous effects that were wrought on the island’s infrastructure which caused the temporary closure of all of the major tourist destinations on the island; and which also caused substantial damage to many other businesses in the hospitality industry that depended on the tourist dollar for their livelihood. This triggered a domino effect that extended to related industries and ultimately contributed to a large majority of the island’s labour force facing unemployment or underemployment. Many persons migrated to the United Kingdom seeking employment, but a large percentage of workers still remained on island. In order for such persons to be able to survive, the Ministry of Labour in collaboration with the Social Security Board, instituted a temporary Unemployment Benefit Scheme. Many persons also benefited from the generous efforts of the Anguilla Strong movement, through subsistence from Anguillians overseas, and via donations from the British Government as well as from various organisations and other parties within the Caribbean region and beyond.
A year ago I acknowledged the fragility of Anguilla’s labour market and the challenges that the working population was likely to face as it struggled to overcome the effects of a major catastrophe.
Today I wish to examine what the Ministry of Labour has accomplished since that time, and what is still to come on the horizon.
In 2018 the Ministry was fervently working towards the enactment of a Labour Code, but in attempting to do so it recognized after its last round of consultations that there were certain aspects of the Code that required further research, while there was a dire need to focus on those areas that required the greatest amount of conflict resolution, viz employee relations.
The Ministry therefore decided to change its modus operandi, concentrating mainly on those aspects of the law that were directly related to Employee Relations. This included, inter alia, the classification of employees, addressing the issue of job stability and having persons on one year fixed contracts, providing employers with the guidelines for establishing performance measurement systems that addressed detailed disciplinary measures, introducing the framework for the dispute resolution mechanisms that would be employed in handling labour complaints, and expanding on the Department of Labour’s information requirements for the processing of work permits.
After many countless hours of hard work and perseverance by the Ministry and Department of Labour in collaboration with the Attorney General’s Chambers, the Labour (Relations) Act 2018 was passed in the House of Assembly on 29th November, 2018, and assented to by the Governor of Anguilla on 3rd January, 2019.
The Ministry through the Department of Labour has been holding discussions with major employers on the need to create a working environment that not only emphasises the importance of productivity and profitability, but also recognizes the significance of a dedicated and loyal staff and the role that those attributes play in a productive and profitable organisation. It has been encouraging employers to invest in their staff, and provide opportunities for staff to learn and grow with the organization. Some employers have provided evidence that they are moving in that direction, while negotiations are still ongoing with others. There is still much work to be done to ensure that our people are given every opportunity.
The Ministry has been appealing to unemployed persons and those who are seeking a change in occupation to register with the Department of Labour, but this has met with very limited success. Persons who are interested in upward mobility within their organisation are being asked to take advantage of every opportunity of learning and development that is made available to them, whether it be through formal learning, cross training, attachments, or as part of understudy initiatives. Remember opportunities once lost, seldom do come again.
Anguilla has come from a position where more than half of the workforce was unemployed, to a situation where many businesses and prospective employers are complaining that there is a lack of eligible labour on the island to fulfill its needs. This therefore signals that there is progress and development on the island.
In order to gauge the composition of the current labour market and Anguilla’s human resource capacity requirements, the Ministry has determined that the need exists for a full labour market survey. The plan is to engage in this activity within the upcoming year.
I want to therefore encourage those persons who are still seeking jobs, and those students who are looking to leave school and enter the workforce, to enhance your knowledge about work opportunities available on Anguilla and to think carefully of the career path that you wish to choose. Besides the recognised industries on island, there are future projects in the pipeline such as the yacht marina, which will require persons skilled in specific areas. I thus urge you to continue to pursue education that will allow you to take advantage of any opportunities that present themselves.
The Anguilla Community College and the UWI Open-Campus are expanding their programme offerings into areas that will benefit the island long-term. The TVET Council is lending its support to these entities by proposing alternative avenues of learning that will cater to those who prefer hands-on learning to traditional academic pathways.
Let me continue to assure Anguillians that the Ministry of Labour is pursuing all means at its disposal to ensure that Anguilla has a thriving labour market which over the long term produces economic growth, stability, and a flourishing economy. Through the tripartite efforts of the Government of Anguilla, working alongside the business sector and the working population, Anguilla will benefit from an experienced, well-adjusted and dynamic labour force.
