Resort goes back on word to pay former employees

by Kareem Smith

The Club Barbados Resort has joined a growing number of tourism players accused of severe injustices and broken promises to former employees who are now pleading for thousands of dollars owed to them ahead of Christmas.

On Tuesday, approximately 60 ex-staff from a range of departments demonstrated for three hours outside the establishment at Sunset Crest, St James, demanding severance payments which were promised and later rescinded.

Many of the affected workers say that in addition to needing the money to pay overdue loan and rent payments, they want to provide a decent Christmas for their families after a year of severe financial hardship.

Meantime, representatives from the Barbados Worker’s Union (BWU) are again asking for the intervention of Prime Minister Mia Mottley and key members of Cabinet to address an industrial relations crisis affecting hundreds of employees in the vital sector.

The Club was closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Management reportedly declined a bailout from the Government through the Barbados Employment and Sustainable Transformation (BEST) programme and instead opted to make all of its approximately 150 workers redundant.

After extended talks with union leaders, the hotel agreed to pay severance in two instalments of 50 per cent each – one in October and the other on November 21.

However, five days ago, staff received letters informing them the company would only pay them 25 per cent of the outstanding monies and the rest would have to be paid by the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). They were further informed of management’s intention to subtract debts owed by employees to the hotel, ranging from small loans to the cost of misplaced name tags.

Overwhelmed by the current state of affairs, placard-bearing workers mounted a demonstration outside the establishment, demanding their monies as they sang We Shall Overcome, steadfast in their refusal to seek compensation from the NIS.

Their cries were supported by passers-by who encouraged them not to give in to the demands of management.

The action was also supported by the BWU whose Industrial Relations Officer Davida Forde was on hand.

“At the time that [management] agreed to pay severance, you knew you weren’t reopening, you knew the situation with COVID, and you would have already assessed your finances. Nothing has changed. So why now come back to the staff that have not received any money?” Forde asked.

“There were measures put in place for things like this not to happen – for instance, the BEST programme. The club said to us that they did not think the BEST programme was something that they could be a part of and that is why the severance came into play, because if you were not signing onto the BEST programme you then had to show what you were going to do for the staff. The Club chose the severance, so now they need to honour it,” the workers representative added.

Efforts to reach management at the resort were unsuccessful. However, after a brief meeting with union officials, Forde said the hotel maintained its position but has agreed to meet for further discussion later this week.

Just days ago, BWU’s Deputy General Secretary Dwaine Paul expressed concern about serious injustices also affecting employees at the Sandy Lane Resort and Sandals Barbados. The situation has compelled him to write the relevant Government ministries seeking intervention.

“We’ve been calling on the Minister of Labour, the Minister of Tourism, as far as the Prime Minister, to sit down with us and listen to what is happening in the industry…. It seems like nobody is listening,” she said.

“We need to hear the voices of those who can make decisions in the country.”

Among the upset workers was shop steward Emerson Rowe who fears he could soon be forced to sleep on the streets if his rent is not paid soon.

“NIS is a long process and people have commitments and obligations and everybody informed their creditors that we would be paid in November. How will we go back and tell the creditors that we aren’t getting the money?” he asked.

“After this hard, rough year, my co-workers and I would like to smile for Christmas.”

The longstanding hotel employee has also identified a glaring disconnect between the marketing of Barbados’ tourism product and the treatment of hotel workers.

“I heard them say that tourism is Barbados’ business. I know it generates most of the foreign exchange for Barbados, but what about the tourism workers? I gave this business 25 to 30 years. If I get another job in the industry, how can I smile with the guests that are coming in knowing what has been done to me?

“People are coming here, opening businesses, making money, and at the end of it, they are shutting down and saying they don’t have any money…. Where is NIS going to get this money from, and when am I going to get my severance?”
Rowe queried.

(kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb)