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Trinidad & Tobago - Industrial Court President Highlights Climate Change's Impact on Workers and Calls for Safety Measures

 Deborah Thomas-Felix, the President of the Industrial Court, emphasized the importance of implementing safety measures to protect workers from heat-related illnesses and other climate-related hazards. Speaking at the opening of the 2023-2024 Industrial Court law term, Thomas-Felix highlighted the impact of climate change on industrial relations.

She noted that climate change can adversely affect productivity, citing the intense heat experienced in Trinidad and Tobago (TT). Workers both outdoors and indoors, in poorly ventilated buildings, can suffer from extreme heat, leading to occupational illnesses, injuries, and even death.

According to Thomas-Felix, the International Labour Organization (ILO) recognizes that excessive heat during work poses occupational health risks, limits physical capabilities, and reduces productivity. Workers in high-risk occupations include firefighters, bakery workers, farmers, construction workers, miners, boiler room workers, and factory workers, among others. Increasing extreme weather events further endanger workers in construction, agriculture, and essential services.

Thomas-Felix stressed the need for social partners to encourage the adoption of robust health and safety mechanisms and policies in the workplace. Adequate safety measures are crucial for protecting workers from heat-related illnesses, air quality hazards, and other climate-related dangers.

She advocated for the reintroduction of work-from-home policies as a means to address heat-related illnesses and broader climate change issues. Remote work can enhance worker safety during environmental or health crises and boost productivity.

Furthermore, Thomas-Felix called on trade unions and employers to organize training seminars addressing climate change-related issues that may impact employees. Incorporating clauses in collective agreements for annual worker training, especially for those at higher risk, could help employees understand the dangers of heat stress and other environmental concerns.

Emphasizing the importance of social dialogue, Thomas-Felix highlighted that good industrial relations benefit both business owners and workers. She encouraged mutual respect in the negotiation process, even in cases where no agreement is reached.

Regarding the court's performance, Thomas-Felix noted a reduction in cases from the previous year. In the 2022-2023 term, 793 new cases were filed, 309 fewer than in the previous term. Trade disputes remained the most common type of case, followed by retrenchment and severance benefits disputes, occupational safety and health disputes, and industrial relations offenses.

She also addressed the need for improved court facilities, highlighting the lack of sufficient space for staff. Thomas-Felix stressed the importance of ensuring a comfortable physical environment for staff and users. Additionally, she called for urgent repairs to the leaking roof at the Port of Spain building to protect the court's records.

Thomas-Felix expressed her intent to address the backlog of cases from Tobago, which accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic. She plans to hold a session in Tobago in the coming year to resolve these disputes.


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