Prime Highlights :
- CUT trained 18 young teacher unionists from across the Caribbean in leadership, organising and gender equality.
- Participants created action plans to increase youth involvement and strengthen their unions.
Key Facts :
- Women accounted for more than half of the workshop participants.
- Nearly 95% of participants said they felt confident applying the training to their union work.
Background :
Young teacher unionists from across the Caribbean took part in a four-day leadership workshop in Saint Lucia aimed at preparing a new generation of trade union leaders.
The Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) held the Young Leaders Workshop in Castries from March 2 to March 5, bringing together 18 participants from Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Anguilla and Saint Martin.
The programme focused on leadership development, union organising and gender equality. Women made up more than half of the participants, highlighting the organisers’ focus on increasing women’s participation in union leadership.
CUT organised the workshop with support from Education International and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation. Training covered trade union history, member recruitment, mobilisation, leadership, climate change and the role of unions in supporting quality public education.
Participants also explored how unions can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals, including the goal of providing inclusive and quality education.
Gender equality formed an important part of the programme. Participants discussed women’s leadership, workplace equality and ways to include gender considerations in union policies and activities. They also developed practical plans for their own organisations.
The workshop used group discussions, role plays and peer-learning activities to help participants apply the lessons to real workplace and union issues. Each participant developed an action plan for future work.
Feedback from the programme was largely positive. Nearly 95% of participants said they felt confident using the knowledge gained in their union activities, while almost 89% rated the overall experience positively.
CUT has created a WhatsApp network to keep participants connected and support the implementation of their action plans. Future training priorities include collective bargaining, conflict resolution, digital safety, mental health, proposal writing and union finance.
