PRESIDENT OF the Caribbean Employers' Confederation, Marcel Meyer, has said that unless employers and trade unions organise themselves as vibrant regional social partners, the most important parts of the society will be left out of major worldwide developments.
He also encouraged these organisations to appreciate that as national and regional social partners, the Confederation has contributed significantly to the social cohesion and stability in the Caribbean region.
This, he said, is not enough and must be underpinned by a new focus on employers' issues when participating in regional integration processes.
Mr. Meyer was speaking at a recent CEO seminar hosted by the Jamaica Employers' Federation (JEF) and the programme for the promotion of Management-Labour Co-operation (PROMALCO).
He reiterated that the best way forward for the Caribbean region is for employers and their organisations to be aware of the major changes taking place in all aspects of their position, including production and strategic partnerships.
"As the world is moving towards the creation of larger economic spaces, the social partners must organise themselves at all levels of participation in order to be able to contribute meaningfully to the policy decisions which are taken for the future of our region," said Mr. Meyer.
REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES
President of Jamaica Employers' Federation (JEF), Audrey Hinchcliffe, said the seminar was of the utmost importance, as JEF believes that it must engage CEOs interest in the activities of the Federation, in order to understand and appreciate their role in regional and international activities as they relate to employers.
"The way we operate our business is changing, so we cannot remain insular, we have to be aware of our respective positions as they relate to clients, workers, labour unions and our communities. This is what PROMALCO is assisting us to do," said Mrs. Hinchcliffe.
