PORT OF SPAIN, (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization, through a European Union funded Project, is to implement a training programme on “Strengthening Trade Unions’ Understanding and Application of Research Methodology”. It will be held in collaboration with the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) and the Hugh Lawson Shearer Trade Union Education Institute (HLSTUEI).

The Workshop will take place at the Hugh Lawson Shearer Trade Union Education Institute, UWI Mona Campus, Jamaica, during the week of 8-12 May 2017. It forms part of a three-year, € 1.7 million European Union (EU) funded Project aimed at strengthening institutional capacities of the Caribbean Employers’ Confederation (CEC) and the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL). This Project is entitled “Support to facilitate participation of CARIFORUM Civil Society in the Regional Development and Integration Process: Challenges to CARIFORUM Labour, Private Sector and Employers to fulfil their EPA obligations. It contributes to the effective implementation of the Social Aspects Chapter of the EU-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement which provides the framework for social partner action.

Since its establishment in 1963, HLSTUEI has provided training in trade unionism and labour studies to trade unionists and industrial relations practitioners as well as to promote and sustain research and innovation in industrial relations and labour studies in the region.

Through this regional Workshop, the CCL aims to strengthen its research and analytical capability as well as the capacity of its member organizations across the Caribbean. This activity specifically seeks to promote the Trade Unions’ use of research to enhance their policy formulation, buttress the positions developed and generate data to address institutional issues. It also contributes to trade unions being able to play a meaningful role in advocating for evidence-based policy-making as well as in contributing to the development of sound economic policy positions at the national and regional levels.

Trade union representatives, involved in research and policy development in the 15 CARIFORUM countries, have been invited to participate. The participants are expected to leave the course with a better understanding of the research process, quantitative and qualitative data, as well as how to conduct research using different methods and tools, and how to include a gender dimension in their research and ensure that gender disaggregated data are collected.

http://www.ilo.org/caribbean/newsroom/WCMS_553143/lang–en/index.htm