The Bermuda Trade Union Congress has called on the next Government to establish and maintain “a healthy balance between the interests of business and the interests of workers”.

The BTUC put out a press release pointing to complaints over a number of years about unemployment, low wages and “an increased dependency of able-bodied persons on social assistance”.

“In order to tackle these issues, the BTUC is asking the next Government to adopt and commit to this agenda that will empower Bermudians as well as support and improve the lives of all workers in Bermuda,” it stated.

According to the press release, the BTUC is specifically calling on the next Government to:

• develop and implement a living wage;

• reduce income inequalities in Bermuda;

• reduce the financial stress of families;

• aid in the country’s economic development;

• increase the Government’s tax revenues.

It called for a Workforce Development Plan for Bermuda to:

• make full employment of Bermudians a national priority;

• expand closed job categories;

• create and develop increased employment opportunities that integrate knowledge, skills, and competencies while connecting education with current and future occupations;

• empower people to commit to retooling and retraining in areas that are in current and future demand:

• encourage all industry stakeholders to make a commitment to ensure that the employment needs of Bermudians are met in a changing workforce environment;

• ensure access to Government resources and funding as an effective workforce development system must have proper planning, adequate resources and financing from the Government.

• set up a comprehensive youth employment strategy which focuses on employment while simultaneously fostering a smoother transition into the labour market through bridge programmes, education to job strategies, mentoring and institute unemployment insurance.

• establish cost of living adjustments for all workers;

• establish May 1 as an additional national holiday;

• address age discrimination in employment;

• reform labour and pension legislation.

• To see the document in full, click on the PDF under “Related Media”