Trade Unions can now be registered in TCI, registrar appointed

#Providenciales, November 28, 2018 – Turks and Caicos – A new responsibility appointed to the Labour Commissioner begs the question:  Is Trade Unionism coming soon to Turks and Caicos Islands?  Our search so far has, however, turned up no known news about any imminent trade union.

In a November 19, 2018 meeting of Cabinet it was determined that the government of the Turks and Caicos Islands will now register trade unions through the Labour Commissioner.

“Approved the appointment of the Commissioner of Labour as the Registrar of Trade Unions in accordance with Section 5 of the Trade Unions Ordinance.”

Section five of the Ordinance simply says that the Governor shall appoint a person to be the Registrar of Trade Unions under the Ordinance and that the registrar will keep the register of trade unions.

While the Turks and Caicos is no stranger to the system of workers’ unions, there has been no evidence of trade unions which are defined as:  ‘an organized association of workers in a trade, group of trades, or profession, formed to protect and further their rights and interests.’

The 20 page Trade Unions Ordinance 2014, which can be found on the Attorney General’s Chambers web page explains – among other things – what the registrar requires to complete a registration and articulates the rules of play regarding a trade union, including a section on Peaceful picketing and prevention of intimidation and Prohibition of actions against trade unions.

It was explained to Magnetic Media that the electrical contractors in the country had been in talks about forming a trade union; but that advancement is still in the works.

The Labour Commissioner for the Turks and Caicos Islands is Edwin Taylor.

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