HISTORY

The St Lucia Civil Service Association was formed in the late 1940’s by a group of public officers who saw the need for an organized and structured approach to the problems confronting public officers.

After a few years of functioning as an informal grouping, the St Lucia civil service association was registered as a trade union on May 16, 1951. The first president was Mr. D. F. Mayers, an employee of the treasury department.     Past leaders

During the period 1951 and 1980, the CSA worked with the St Lucia Teachers Union in making joint presentations before various salary review commissions appointed by government. It was not until 1980, that the CSA was granted the right to engage in collective bargaining on behalf of the public officers. The CSA, after several well – published disputes, with various government and statutory bodies, developed into one of the leading trade unions on the island.

Initially, the membership of the union was drawn mainly from the civil service and later was extended to the wider public service to include Statutory Authorities. However, following an amendment to its constitution the CSA is now eligible to represent workers who are not part of the general Civil Service or a Statutory Corporation.

Today the CSA is the accredited bargaining agent for a wide range of workers . Unlike other unions, the CSA offers a number of benefits to its members, independent of what is negotiated with the employers.

MISSION

·         To represent our members, and collectively protect and improve the quality of their working life

·         Mission involves

·         Pursuit of justice

·         Protection and advancement of members’ interest

·         Improvement of members’ welfare

·         Promotion of people participation

·         Improvement of societal governance

·         Promotion of social equality, efficiency and productivity

OBJECTIVES

·         To unite all public servants/ members in a common union

·         Recruit service union members in the union business

·         To obtain and maintain improved wages, salaries and better working conditions for members by collective agreements with employers

·         To promote and advance the cause of social justices as stated in the St. Lucia constitution order, n0. 1901 0f 1978

·         To create and participate in organizations which will contribute to an improvement in the social and economic welfare of the union members and the society at large

·         To communicate with members, affiliates etc. Using multi media means

AFFILIATION

·         Caribbean Public Services Association

·         Caribbean Congress of Labour

·         Public Services International

·         Communications International

·         Caribbean Trade Union Congress

CHALLENGES

·         Maintain the rights and benefits of members

·         The provision of improved services and benefits to members

·         Globalization

The preparation of workers to face the challenges of the new millennium viz a viz: the use of modern technology