A two-day Conference set to establish a road map for trade unions to ensure its relevance and sustainability and to develop a process for identifying and developing the next generation of trade union leaders. It is organised by the Hugh Lawson Shearer Trade Union Education Institute in partnership with the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions, the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute for Social and Economic Studies' 50/50 project, as part of the movement's 'Workers' Week' celebrations.

The Conference, dubbed: 'A Road Map for Trade Unions: Relevance and Sustainability', is scheduled to take place on May 26 and 27, 2011 at the Mona Visitors' Lodge and Conference Centre. Participants at the Conference will include representatives from trade unions, the Jamaica Employers' Federation, government and academia who will join in workshop discussions.

The Conference opens on Thursday, May 26 at 8:30 am with addresses from JCTU President, Lloyd Goodleigh, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, a Vice President of the Jamaica Employers' Federation, Professor Brian Meeks, Director of SALISES, Jamaica, and Judith Wedderburn, Regional Director, FES Jamaica and the Eastern Caribbean, among others.

The Conference is expected to be repeated across the region to develop a Caribbean roadmap for trade union renewal.