Grenada: Incidents of ill treatment of trade unionists by the government, specifically members of the public service union

Information on ill treatment of trade unionists by the government, specifically members of the public service union, could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

No mention of a "Public Service Union" could be found in the International Labour Organization's list of trade unions in Grenada, however, reference was made to a "Grenada Public Workers' Union" (ILO Feb. 2000; Grenadian Voice 5 Apr. 1997).

While there were no reports of ill treatment of Public Worker's Union members by the government, Cana News Agency on 27 April 2000 reported harassment of Grenada Broadcasting Network (GBN) workers by police as they waited for union officials to return from a meeting. The report states that GBN workers were asked to vacate the premises of the Ministerial Complex by members of the Rapid Response, Special Services and Intelligence Units, some of whom were armed with riot gear. The GBN workers, who are represented by the Technical and Allied Workers' Union (TAWU), had been on strike to protest against "industrial injustice" (ibid. 17 May 2000; ibid. 1 May 2000).

According to information received from the Grenada Public Workers' Union, the following are the ministries and organizations that it represents (15 June 2001):

All government ministries:

Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Social Security & Gender & Family Affairs

Ministry of Health and the Environment

Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry & Fisheries

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Housing, Social Services, Culture & Cooperatives

Ministry of Legal Affairs, Local Government & Labour

Ministry of Works, Communications & Public Utilities

Ministry of Youth, Sports & Community Development

Prime Minister's Office, Department of Human Resources & Government Information Service

Public Service Commission

Ministry of Finance (Accountant General Department, Audit Department)

Organizations:

Grenada Industrial Development Corporation

Grenada Bureau of Standards

Grenada International Financial Services

Housing Authority of Grenada

Grenada Postal Corporation

National Water & Sewerage Authority

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Cana News Agency [Bridgetown, in English]. 17 May 2000. "GBN Striker Breaks Ranks, Returns to Work." (BBC Worldwide Monitoring 18 May 2000/NEXIS)

_____. 1 May 2000. "Grenada Union Threatens to 'Shut Down the Island'." (BBC Summary 3 May 2000/NEXIS)

_____. 27 April 2000. "Union Says GBN Workers Harassed by Police." (BBC Worldwide Monitoring 28 April 2000/NEXIS)

The Grenadian Voice. 5 April 1997. Vol. 16, No. 14. "Public Workers Get $6.5 Million in Wage Increases." [Accessed 11 June 2001]

International Labour Organization (ILO), Caribbean Office. February 2000. Trade Unions, Grenada. [Accessed 11 June 2001]

Public Workers' Union, Grenada. 15 June 2001. Letter received by Research Directorate.

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

CIA World Factbook 2000.

Europa World Year Book 2000.

Keesing's Record of World Events 1999, 2000.

NEXIS

Political Handbook of the World 1999.

US Department of State Background Notes: Grenada.

US Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 1999: Grenada.

WNC

Internet sites including:

Adminet

Amnesty International

Atlapedia Online

Economic Research Institute

Freedom House

Integrated Regional Information Networks

International Federation of Free Trade Unions

Labourstart

Reliefweb

Union Network International

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)