BADMC ultimatum

With no end in sight to the almost year-long tensions at the Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (BADMC) over unresolved human resource issues, that organisation could be hit by protest action by mid-October, a source has revealed.

This morning, the source close to the development told Barbados TODAY that the workers’ bargaining agent, the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), wrote the corporation last week requesting an urgent meeting. However unlike previous times when this request to come to the bargaining table has been ignored, frustrated workers are making it clear that if management does not display some willingness to negotiate by the second week in October, “workers will be taking matters into their own hands”.

“I can tell you that the workers are really riled up and they are in no mood for any nonsense from these people. Workers are ready to take industrial action and we are putting the management on notice that they have until the second week in October to come to the negotiation table,” the source said. Barbados TODAY contacted Deputy General Secretary of the NUPW Wayne Waldron who confirmed that the union did indeed write to the BADMC requesting a meeting.

However, he noted that the union has not sanctioned any protest action, even though he acknowledged that the workers were running out of patience.

Back in May, Waldron said that tensions were on the verge of coming to a head, as workers are up in arms over “unilateral attempts” to change their working terms and conditions.

“Right now, we would like the Minister of Agriculture to intervene because workers are feeling as if their rights are being systematically taken away. Right now, the morale of the workers is very low, and workers don’t want to be there. One day, if things don’t change soon, workers may not show up to work at all,” warned Waldron, who was quick to add that the union had no immediate protest action planned even though the patience of the workers was quickly wearing thin.

Workers complained that among the contentious issues, is an attempt to change the public holiday policy, work hours and appointments. Staff are also complaining that the human resource department has taken upon itself to revert persons to their substantive posts, even though they were acting in the higher position for several years. Barbados TODAY made several attempts to reach Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir as well as the BADMC chairman but to no avail.

This morning the source contended that workers were of the view that attempts to talk were yielding no results and it was therefore time to take things to the next level.

“Right now some of the workers want to go on strike but we waiting and watching to see if this last letter is going make a difference and the second week in October is more than enough time,” the source stressed.
colvillemounsey@barbadostoday.bb