Deepening Decent Work ties: High-level dialogue reinforces ILO–CCLCS collaboration

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago (ILO News) - A high-level delegation from the Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies (CCLCS), led by Director Dr. André Vincent Henry, met on Tuesday 24 February with Joni Musabayana, Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean, and senior ILO specialists in a strategic dialogue hosted at the ILO Caribbean office. The meeting took place against the backdrop of CCLCS's commemorations of its 60th anniversary and within the framework of the recently updated Cooperation Agreement, signed in March 2025, which renews and expands a long-standing partnership.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Henry recalled that the College was founded through the good offices of the ILO and located the discussions within the transformation and repositioning initiative currently underway at CCLCS. "Our aim is to identify areas of mutual benefit that will not only advance the College's mission of empowering working people, but also serve as a force multiplier for the important work of the ILO," he stated. The ILO Director reflected on the growing portfolio of joint activities between the ILO and CCLCS, from research and publications to technical training in various countries, remarking that "the ILO's partnership with Cipriani College is a gold mine, one that has massive potential for us to collaborate in almost all areas of the Decent Work Agenda."

Discussions focused on how CCLCS's emerging agenda and the ILO's 2026-2027 priorities align to support a more integrated Caribbean labour market. The ILO Director stressed that, in the current geopolitical context, labour markets must be understood as drivers of regional integration rather than mere outcomes, and underlined the role of thought leadership from institutions such as CCLCS and its proposed Caribbean research consortium on the world of work in shifting perspectives of decision makers and stakeholders. Both sides agreed on the importance of a robust evidence base to support labour law reform, policy development and implementation of interventions with tangible impact, and highlighted the need to equip social partners with the knowledge and information required to take stronger ownership of change processes.

Within the framework of the ILO's global Programme and Budget, the ILO team outlined some of the ongoing and planned work in the Caribbean, including systematic ratification of fundamental and technical international labour standards, modernisation of labour administration systems, technical cooperation on gender equality and the care economy, continued development and strengthening of co-operatives and SSE entities and promotion of social dialogue and collective bargaining in key sectors. They also pointed to support for regional labour migration, and capacity building for trade unions. Notably, the ILO Director encouraged CCLCS to consider strategies for engaging and supporting Haitian constituents, given Haiti's status as a CARICOM member and its significant share of the regional workforce. He also presented opportunities for engagement with stakeholders in British and Dutch overseas territories.

The meeting concluded with the parties expressing their commitment to deepen the strategic partnership in support of decent work, social justice and regional integration in the Caribbean. CCLCS undertook to submit a detailed plan outlining concrete proposals for collaboration, while both institutions signalled their intention to translate this high-level dialogue into joint initiatives that leverage CCLCS's academic and research capabilities and the ILO's technical expertise for the benefit of workers, employers and governments across the region.