The Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union (ABWU) and the Antigua Trades & Labour Union (AT&LU) are host to the 6th International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF) Caribbean Regional Conference.
The series of meetings commenced on Monday, June 20, with the IUF Regional Young Workers Conference which is being held under the theme: “IUF Caribbean Defending Young Workers in a Post Pandemic World”.
In opening Monday’s meeting, IUF Regional Young Workers 2nd Vice President, Nadia Lambert-Britto, encouraged the full participation of all the delegates. She underscored the importance of increasing youth involvement in the Trade Union Movement.
“This conference is enlightening [and] educating young union representatives on how to deal with the impact of Covid post pandemic and the relevance of the Trade Union Movement within the workplace post Covid pandemic,” Lambert said.
IUF Regional Secretary, Clifton Grant, told participants: “The work you are going to do here today will determine the future of the young workers impact on the Trade Union Movement in the region.”
The meetings include participants from Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Bahamas, Belize, and St Lucia. Antigua and Barbuda is being represented at the Young Workers Conference by Jonathan McNamee of the ABWU and Kerry Dyer of the AT&LU.
Monday’s meeting concluded with the election of new officers to the IUF Caribbean Regional Young Workers Committee. The new committee comprises the following individuals:
President: Shawn Torres – Belize
1st Vice President: Porandatt Narine – Guyana
2nd Vice President: Shakiena Khan – Guyana
Secretary: Avadeen Ross – Jamaica
Asst. Secretary: Tamara Brown – Jamaica
The meetings continue on Tuesday with the IUF Caribbean Regional Women and Domestic Workers Conference, followed by the 6th IUF Caribbean Regional Conference which takes place Wednesday through Friday.
The IUF is a global trade union organization with almost 400 affiliate unions in over 120 countries.
