Workers activities - skills training
Saint Lucia trade unions build skills for collective bargaining
Trade union leaders in Saint Lucia have completed a two-day ILO training to sharpen their collective bargaining and negotiation skills, a timely investment as the country formalizes its first national tripartite advisory committee.
29 April 2026
CASTRIES, Saint Lucia (ILO News) — On 27 and 28 April 2026, trade union leaders and representatives from the Saint Lucia Trade Union Federation (SLTUF) and affiliated organizations sharpened their skills in collective bargaining and negotiation at a two-day workshop facilitated by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Collective bargaining remains one of the most important tools available to workers and employers to determine fair wages, working conditions and productive workplace relationships. The timing of the workshop is especially significant, coinciding with the launch of Saint Lucia’s first ever National Tripartite Advisory Committee- a formal structure for sustained, consensus-based engagement among government, employers and workers. Strengthening the capacity of trade unions is therefore key to ensuring that workers’ voices are effectively represented within this emerging structure.
The training was facilitated by Pablo Arellano, Senior Specialist on Social Dialogue and Labour Relations at the ILO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean. It focused on building practical skills for navigating negotiations, managing labour conflict, and advancing workers' interests in both bipartite and tripartite processes.
Strengthening negotiation capacity
As an activity within the ILO's Regional Initiative for the strengthening of social dialogue and collective labour relations in Latin America and the Caribbean, the workshop covered three core areas:
- international labour standards underpinning collective bargaining;
- conflict-resolution theory;
- positional and interest-based negotiation techniques; and
- hands-on simulations and case studies.
Participants examined key ILO Conventions that guarantee freedom of association and collective bargaining rights, including Conventions Nos. 87, 98, 151 and 154. Sessions drew on positional and interest-based negotiation concepts and strategies and role-play scenarios that moved participants from theory to practice, identifying negotiating objectives, managing information as a strategic resource, and avoiding common pitfalls at the bargaining table.
"Effective collective bargaining is not just a workers' right - it is a foundation for stable, productive labour relations," said Joni Musabayana, Director of the ILO Caribbean Office, in his closing remarks at the event. "Investing in the capacity of trade unions to negotiate effectively benefits workers, enterprises and the broader economy."
A pivotal moment for social dialogue in Saint Lucia
The training arrives at a critical juncture for labour relations in Saint Lucia. In addition to the official launch of the National Tripartite Advisory Committee during Labour Day week, the country also proceeded with the ratification of ILO Convention No. 144 on Tripartite Consultation.
The ILO has been working closely with national constituents to support these efforts, recognizing that effective social dialogue contributes not only to improved labour relations, but also to economic stability and inclusive development. ILO support included technical assistance for national validation workshops in 2025 that examined the proposed programme of work and initiated drafting of terms of reference for the new tripartite body.
ILO–Saint Lucia partnership deepens
The collective bargaining workshop also sits within a wider programme of ILO support to Saint Lucia's tripartite constituents. The first meeting of Saint Lucia’s tripartite Decent Work Committee was held on 27 April. The committee which includes trade union representatives was formed after Cabinet approval was given to Ministry of Labour to lead the development of the country’s first Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP), with ILO support. The meeting marked the official launch of the design phase which will generate a detailed Decent Work Country Diagnostic – a report that will provide a comprehensive data-driven foundation for developing the DWCP.
By investing in the capacity of workers’ organizations, the ILO is not only helping partners to lay the groundwork for more meaningful participation in the design and implementation of the DWCP but also equipping trade union leaders with the tools they need to shape a labour market in St. Lucia that is fair, resilient and responsive.