EC Meeting July 2017

increase of 8.9%. Therefore, the Brexit issue does not seem to be having any prejudicial effects in Gibraltar to date, although it is likely to cause an economic downturn in future.

Trade Unionism in Gibraltar

Historically, Gibraltar was administered by a military Governor, who was the representative of the reigning British monarch and the local population had little or no influence on the day to day running of the Territory. In the 1940’s, after the women and children of Gibraltar had been evacuated to the UK, and other British Territories, the male population started to organise themselves primarily to demand a return of their families and to demand a more proactive voice in the running of Gibraltar. The main Trade Union in Gibraltar then was the Association for the Advancement of Civil Rights (AACR). This later developed into a fully-fledged political party which was at the forefront of political developments over the years. Trade Unionism also developed in tandem with the political system. Again the Trade Unions were branches or affiliations of their UK counterparts. In the 1970s and 80s there were the following Unions representing their members, TGWU (Blue collar Workers), ACTSS (Technicians), CPSA (Admin/Clerical Grades in the MOD), NASUWT (Teachers), IPMS (Technical Grades in Gibraltar Government, GoG) and GGCA (Admin/Clerical Grades GoG) these all took part in the fight for Parity of wages and conditions which was successfully undertaken in the 1970s. This principle still, loosely, applies today. MoD and GoG workers enjoy the same salary and conditions as their UK counterparts. Today due to mergers and withdrawals the remaining unions in Gibraltar are Unite, NASUWT and GGCA. GGCA, by agreement, had a loose association with what later became Prospect. However it had been found that Prospect was not a good “fit” for the GGCA because of the disparity in Grades represented by both Unions. In 2004, the GGCA Committee at the time, in consultation with the membership, decided to terminate the association with Prospect. Trade Unions in Gibraltar enjoy a far more relaxed legislative framework than those in the UK. Regulated largely by the Trade Union and Trade Disputes Act 1947, we do not have stringent regulations in respect of industrial action, picketing, or ‘check off’, nor is there an established Certification Officer.

The GGCA

The GGCA was originally registered in Gibraltar as a Staff Association representing Civil Servants within the Gibraltar Government. It was known as the Gibraltar Civil Service Association and registered under the local Trade Union ordinance in 1947. In or around 1968 the Staff Association re-registered under the new name of the Gibraltar Government and Clerical Association, (GGCA), and subsequently in 1983, further changed using the same initials, (GGCA), to the Gibraltar General and Clerical Association.

The GGCA is presently run by a Committee of eight members, constituted by a President, Vice- President, Treasurer and five ordinary members, as follows:

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