Trade unions in Grenada

Trade unions in Grenada first emerged in 1913 with the formation of the Grenada Union of Teachers.[2] In 1920, the Grenada Association (GA) was formed in response to growing unemployment due to the return to the island of demobilised soldiers from World War One and the completion of the Panama Canal. However, the GA proved ineffective and was renamed the Grenada Workers' Association (GWA) in 1921.[3] In 1931, the GWA was able to successfully mobilise against the introduction of price rises on milk and tobacco, basic goods essential to workers, and following further demands, in 1933 trade unions were made legal.[2][3] However, following legalisation the GWA split in two; in 1933, the Grenada Workers Union and the Grenada General Workers Union were registered.[2]

Trade unions in Grenada
National organization(s)Grenada Trades Union Council
Density52% (2009)[1]
International Labour Organization
Grenada is a member of the ILO
Convention ratification
Freedom of Association25 October 1994
Right to Organise9 July 1979

In 1955 the GWA and the GGWU formed the Grenada Trades Union Council (GTUC).[2]

As of 2017, the following unions operated in Grenada:[4]

Union Established[3] Sector
Bank and General Workers Union (BGWU) 1977 Finance / General
Commercial and Industrial Workers Union (CIWU) 1956 Commerce
Grenada Maritime Manual and Intellectual Workers Union (GMMIWU) 1950 General
Grenada Trades Union Council (GTUC) 1955 National centre
Grenada Union of Teachers (GUT) 1913 Education
Public Workers Union (PWU) 1951 Public services
Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union (SWWU) 1953 Ports / Shipping
Taxi Owners and Drivers Association (TODA) 1955 Transport
Technical and Allied Workers Union (TAWU) 1958 Professional

The TODA is the only union not affiliated to the GTUC.[5]

References
  1. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and House Committee on Foreign Affairs (October 2012). Country reports on human rights practices. Government Printing Office. p. 2885.
  2. Van Der Velden, Sjaak (2021). "Grenada". Historical Dictionary of Organized Labor. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 156. ISBN 978-1-5381-3461-0.
  3. "History of The Trade Union Movement in Grenada". gtawu.org. Technical and Allied Workers' Union. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  4. "Fundamental Conventions GAP Analysis Matrix Grenada" (PDF). International Labour Organization. September 2017. p. 6. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  5. James, Kenny (April 2017). "Benefits of National Federations: The experiences of the GTUC". Caribbean Congress of Labour Today. 1 (2): 7–9 (17–19).
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