Barbados builds practical skills for better negotiation

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (ILO News) — When workplace interests differ, preparation, listening and the ability to work through disagreement can shape what happens next. In Barbados, 35 representatives of government, employers’ and workers’ organizations have strengthened those practical skills through a three-day ILO training on negotiation for effective collective bargaining and social dialogue.

The training focused not only on what happens at the negotiating table, but also on what makes constructive negotiation possible: preparing well, understanding conflict, looking beyond fixed positions to the interests involved, managing emotions and choosing approaches that can help parties work through differences.

Participants put these ideas into practice through discussions, case work and negotiation role plays. The simulations gave them opportunities to test techniques, respond to different positions and reflect on how their approach can affect the course of a negotiation.

For Kimberley Agard, President of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), that practical focus was particularly valuable. “The training reinforced that effective collective bargaining requires preparation, strategic thinking and listening to all parties,” Agard said. “I particularly valued the practical exercises, which showed how these principles apply to real workplace situations. I leave better equipped and with renewed appreciation for negotiation and collective bargaining as vital tools for protecting workers’ rights and building constructive industrial relations.”

The workshop brought together representatives from the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados, Barbados Workers’ Union, NUPW, Barbados Employers’ Confederation, Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Third Sector and Ministry of the Public Service.

“This was a very good training session for the employment advisors. They were able to sharpen their skills, analyse their current tactics and figure out ways to incorporate what they learned. It was also good for me as it exposed me to tactics that I can implement to support them in the negotiation process.” – Aleike Walker, Manager, Administrative Services, Barbados Employers Confederation (BEC).

Bringing government, employers and workers into the same learning process was important because negotiation skills are used across collective bargaining, dispute resolution and wider social dialogue. Participants strengthened their understanding of both positional and interest-based negotiation, conflict prevention and resolution techniques and approaches for developing and conducting negotiations.

“Effective social dialogue does not depend on everyone starting from the same position. It depends on the ability to understand different interests, work through disagreement and negotiate constructively. Strengthening those skills across government, employers and workers can help the parties approach difficult labour relations issues with better tools for finding workable solutions.” Nancy Varela, Social Dialogue and Labour Administration Specialist, ILO.

The training workshop is one of the activities being implemented under the Barbados Decent Work Country Programme 2025–2030. It contributes specifically to the measures to strengthen negotiation and alternative dispute resolution skills at enterprise level.

The next step happens beyond the training room. As participants apply the approaches they practised to future negotiations and disputes, the strengthened skills are intended to support more constructive collective bargaining, more effective dispute resolution and stronger social dialogue in Barbados.