RECAPPING

1. RECAPPING

2. SESSION ONE - RECAPPING Session One - Recap • Started out with Wilma given the recap of previous day on what we have accomplished. • Country’s sharing experiences re trade Unions and Informal Economy – Doing or Not doing • SURINAME – Dino gave a snap shot of a summary re-Suriname and the informal economy

3. Approximately Half of the total employment The survey base on several platforms stemming from Registered workers 53% and the 47% informal economy Employees and Enterprise that do comply with national regulation. Chamber of Commerce keeps a tab on all registered businesses More males in the informal grouping than females (older folks – informal 60+ SW)

4. JAMAICA – Thousands have shift to the informal economy to make ends meet. • Globalization, Structural adjustment and privatization and our political parties • Union can do more by applying progressive agenda to bridge the gap between economies • The application of Decent work approach has started • Political parties changes, system, policies and procedures changes making continuity difficult.

5. Depletion of resources quick action needed • Inequalities, redundancies, non-formal contracts & part time • Organize to better articulate ideas to gov’t • Women population large in the informal economy • No policy direction but Constitutional arrangement and ILO Conventions and Business Development Plan. • ICI’s, SBA, TAXIS and FARMERS • Political Parties are formed out of the trade union – Incompatible goals

6. GUYANA (Queenie)- Gave a brief history of her country highlighting that Suriname was her immediate neighbor. • Facing economic crisis , poor working conditions, insufficient pay, rural urban migration • IMF conditionalities propelled the driving force behind the informal economy. • Denial of the INF/ECON • Formal branch of into economy in order to make ends meet.

7. Being apart of the union bring forth disadvantages • Little or no social security benefits • Operations are in breach of section 87 • Contracted workers are deprived of their rights (No maternity, no access to bank loans etc.) • Union – focusing on training and retooling the informal workers people will see the benefits of trade unions etc. • The effectiveness was question given the prerequisites to make ends meet

8. Frustration has reached the part time workers who have been doing this for yrs. • Unions- more proactive, start from scratch, lobby administration and gov’t. Part time workers and contracted worker’s can be unionized. • Minibus Assoc – fueled by gas prices • Non-existence or little are no legislation to protect the less fortunate. • Graduate leaves the formal sector for the Inf. Sec. to earn more money to cover the living needs.

9. St. LUCIA (Terry) – Express strong similarities to Guyana. • Informal behavior Born out of the Plantocracy ideals – Sugar workers, thus created certain number of informal workers. • Roadside sellers, yard boys, food vendors and informal contract workers no tax contribution. • Build Construction are sub contracted to escape certain obligations

10. Poultry farmers & Pig Farmers intervene because egg importation – lobby gov't to get resources. • Exotic dancers - Laws against sex workers but the business is on the horizon. (formal worker’s) • Company want to get rid of workers because of their expression of interest in unions • What next - Office cleaners, Car washers, taxi drivers etc. More so getting into hourly paid workers businesses, supermarket etc.

11. They have not officially examine the INFN SEC. • Sensitive the common workers to joint trade union lobby for flexible tax payment and for loans. • 6 union (5 together) (1 opted to be independently for obvious reasons) • Visibility and Union Empowerment of workers is weak

12. BARBADOS (Sean)– Sited their disclaimer • Gave a brief definition re informal economy – the absence of the regulated and full compliances to gov't – forms the informal economy. • Key segments high percent of informal activities -Transport, Agriculture, Security, Janitorial services, sports, construction, retail and domestic workers. • Economy is service orientated – limited or no exports etc.

13. Explain the evolution of the bus system into association through dialogue with govt. organizing public transport and appropriate routing management system. • Instituting other journey management system – Checks & Balance • Fishing industry is largely informal • Subcontracting to evade regulations and tax payments – gov’t lack resources to run checks

14. Entertainment – entertainers double jobs mostly tax free • BWU Onboard with taxi association • Firm on its decent work agenda • Social dialogue happening in the informal economy • Minimum wage platform being established • Free to join, advocate for greater access to education and technical support etc. • Tripartite Social partnership is approximately 16yrs old

15. TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (lois)– Gov’t programs to pick individual who have lost their jobs • Sub contracting has been creating problems (lack of checks and transparency) • Community enhancement program for mid age persons • Gov't has contributed to the expansion of the informal economy they see it has employment opportunities for small businesses. It has expanded to the highway and byways.

16. Revamp of the bus system to be more organised • Casino closed down saw thousands of jobs going • Process of recognition takes yrs – realized after the fact. Immediate obstacle for representation. • Pushing decent work agenda to achieve member of 100% • Gov't – Bus program, Trading with youths, • Gov’t-Social project

17. Firm up of Agro Associations given the economic crisis • Market and Street vendors Association • Sex trade rampant • Given their uniqueness of union arrangements 51% flip side union know the bargaining unit before hand, hence, 51% remain questionable and representation remain inconclusive until the data is made available. (Win / lose out)

18. Session Two • Claude expand on HOW: With a quick review on.. • ILO Mandate – Decent Work for All… • ILS, Employment, Social Protection /Dialogue • Definition : in law or in practice, not covered or insufficiently covered by formal arrangements

19. HOW – ORGANISE & POLICIES • Reaching out to the informal actors through the medium of organisation. • Policies variables must be fundamental about RIGTHS for ALL • Lobby, advocacy, fighting. never give up organize • Share example of what others are doing

20. Policy – Rights for ALL, growth, employment, poverty reduction, social protection and dialogue with governance structure, regulation and Labour inspection. • Creating jobs is vital , not any kind of jobs but DECENT jobs. • Reference: Labour inspection are key, Philippines 200

21. Reference: Convention 87 Article 2 – RIGHTS of ALL • Integrated Approach : Reference made to HIGH GDP & MEDIUM GDP may drive High, moderate and / or low poverty reduction. • Policy Myths under social protection – loss in GDP due to equity efficiency trade-off • Financial non-affordability myth and that indeed developing countries afford a basic SP package

22. Cost benefit analysis for Senegal and Tanzania was referenced re estimated effect of cash transfer on reduction of poverty. • The five principles of social security was suggested • Which ensued a discussion on why we must organised • When gov't say they have grow 3% is it Labour intensive or job less growth – We question gov’t

23. The Issue of FEAR sited as the biggest to organize and potential members • The organizing strategies that could be employed – asking the right questions • Organizing models: The grey areas- insufficiently covered by the formal sector • A discussion ensued over the SEWA Model in India

24. Lessons learnt • Activities and Services driven • Rights-based approach • Holistic solutions • Cultural diversity • Mainstreaming informal economy • Entry points like cooperatives, micro fin. • Dynamic unions in the informal economy