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FIRSTCARIBBEAN CONTINUES TO WORK WITH REGIONAL UNIONS
- ANNUAL MEETING HELD |
Bridgetown,
Barbados June 14th, 2007 - THE SUCCESS ENJOYED by
FirstCaribbean International Bank in 2006 can be linked
directly to the help and support of the 11 trade unions,
with which it has partnered around the region. So says Bank
Chief Executive, Charles Pink, who challenged union
representatives and members of the FirstCaribbean Human
Resources team to work together “to focus on sustaining
excellence.”
The challenge came at a recently held Partnership Meeting at
which, 10 signatories of the 11 regional unions who signed
the historic Partnership Principles agreement in 2005 were
in attendance. The meetings are scheduled at least once a
year to ensure that the high level ideas encompassed in the
partnership agreement become working strategies that impact
the Bank’s day to day operations. |
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There was
representation from The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica,
Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Vincent and
the Grenadines and the newest territory in the Bank’s
footprint – Curaçao, with a mixture of trade unionists, shop
stewards and HR personnel, who all heard FirstCaribbean
promise to increase its investment in the training of its
staff as a core strategy towards making it the Employer of
Choice in the region. Indeed, the CEO was able to show that
year on year since 2004 the Bank has more than doubled its
training investment and the number of opportunities
available for staff to gain promotion.
The unions called on the Bank to respond quickly to resolve
issues that arise, so that the unions and workers feel its
commitment to the partnership. Chief Administrative Officer,
Peter Hall confirmed that support would be given “at the
local level to make things work.” He also spoke to the fact
that the Partnership Meeting was designed to create a forum
in which all stakeholders are held accountable to make the
relationship work. This commitment has been borne out in the
recent successes in the collective bargaining process in a
number of jurisdictions, measured by reduced negotiation
periods, longer agreements and reduced incidences of
industrial action or the need for third party arbitration.
Noted consultant Dr. Trevor Hamilton was brought on board to
objectively facilitate the discussions and create a body of
strategies that could be implemented to strengthen the
Partnership and to make the principles become practical
policies with easy application.
Mr. Pink underscored the fact that the management of
FirstCaribbean remains “100% committed to the partnership”
and to resolving all issues.
While the morning session of the Partnership meeting was
marked by presentations and discussion, the afternoon period
was the time for the participants to work together in 4
groups, each of which was given a specific assignment – to
define certain areas that need to be improved, determine how
this improvement should be measured, create a timeline for
action and to recommend the processes to be established. Out
of these presentations, working committees will be
established who will be required to report to the larger
meeting on the progress. Each group was made up of persons
from different jurisdictions and from different backgrounds
and perspectives.
Peter Hall closed the session by issuing a call for those
present to own the principles, “for a general effort to make
the partnership work.”
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