Guyana to host 7th IUF Caribbean Regional Conference

The 7th Caribbean Regional Conference will be held in Guyana from March 26 to 27, 2026 under the auspices of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU). The event which serves as a key platform for reviewing the regional committee’s work since its last Conference in 2022, held in Antigua and Barbuda will bring together some 50 trade unionists from across the Caribbean region and further afield to set priorities for the period ahead.

A central feature of the Conference will be the presentation of the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF) Caribbean Regional Secretary’s report. It will be delivered by Clifton Grant, First Vice President (VP) of the University and Allied Workers Union (UAWU) of Jamaica. Delegates will also discuss strengthening regional collaboration and advancing workers’ rights in the Caribbean context.
The Conference will be attended by the IUF’s acting General Secretary, Kristjan Bragason, who will be visiting Guyana for the first time since assuming office. His participation underscores the significance of the Caribbean region within the global labour movement. Another major agenda item will be the election of a new IUF Caribbean Regional Committee, comprising representatives from affiliated unions across the region. In the lead-up to the main Conference, several preparatory meetings have already been convened. These include sessions of the IUF Young Workers Committee, Women’s Committee and the Caribbean Regional Committee.
Notably, the Young Workers Committee Conference was held on March 23, 2026, at GAWU’s Conference Room in High Street, Kingston, Georgetown, where young trade unionists examined the current state of the regional labour movement and outlined strategies for future engagement. GAWU extends a warm welcome to all delegates and observers and expresses its honour in hosting this significant event.
The Union views the Conference as a strong demonstration of regional solidarity and international workers’ fraternity, reinforcing the shared commitment to advancing the rights and welfare of working people. The IUF is a global trade union federation representing approximately 10 million workers across 119 countries.