Caribbean leadership helps shape the future of work at the International Labour Conference

GENEVA, Switzerland (ILO News) – Caribbean countries played a prominent role at the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC), helping shape decisions that will influence the future of work well beyond the region. Through active participation in negotiations, leadership of key committees and coordinated advocacy, Caribbean governments, employers and workers demonstrated that small island developing States can make a significant contribution to global labour policymaking.

Held from 1 to 12 June 2026, the Conference brought together delegates from the ILO's 187 Member States to address three major priorities: decent work in the platform economy, gender equality at work, and social dialogue and tripartism. These issues closely reflect many of the opportunities and challenges facing Caribbean labour markets as they adapt to digital transformation, demographic change, labour mobility and climate-related pressures.

One of the Conference's landmark achievements was the adoption of the Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention, 2026 (No. 193), the first international labour standard dedicated to workers in the platform economy. Caribbean representatives contributed actively throughout the negotiations, reinforcing the region's commitment to ensuring that technological innovation is accompanied by decent work, rights at work and social dialogue.

The Caribbean's visibility extended well beyond the standard-setting process. Delegates chaired negotiations, contributed to discussions on artificial intelligence and digital labour, announced national policy initiatives, advanced international labour standards and helped project a coordinated regional perspective on the future of work.

Among the region's leadership contributions, the Hon. Colin E. Jordan, Minister of Labour, Social Security and the Third Sector of Barbados, chaired the Standard-Setting Committee responsible for guiding negotiations on Convention No. 193; and Ambassador Matthew Wilson of Barbados was elected Chairperson of the ILO Governing Body for 2026–27, becoming the first representative from Barbados, and from the wider Caribbean, to lead the ILO's executive body in the Organization's 107-year history.

For Caribbean countries, participation in the International Labour Conference is about more than representation. It provides an opportunity to help shape international labour standards while strengthening partnerships, technical cooperation and knowledge that support national labour market reforms. For small developing States confronting complex economic, social and environmental transitions, ensuring that global policies reflect their realities is an essential part of advancing sustainable development and decent work.

The Conference also highlighted the value of the ILO's unique tripartite approach. Governments, employers and workers from across the Caribbean engaged alongside their counterparts from around the world, demonstrating how social dialogue continues to provide practical solutions to emerging labour market challenges.

The region's active engagement reflects a broader commitment to ensuring that Caribbean perspectives contribute to international debates on the future of work. As new technologies reshape employment and labour markets evolve, Caribbean countries are positioning themselves not only to respond to global change but also to help shape it.

The outcomes of the 114th International Labour Conference reaffirm that even the smallest States can exercise meaningful influence in multilateral decision-making. By working collectively through the ILO, Caribbean countries continue to advance policies that promote decent work while ensuring that international labour standards remain relevant to the realities and aspirations of small island and developing States.