Prison officers’ right to freedom of association will not be challenged, says PM

Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced that her Government will not appeal the recent High Court decision that allows prison officers the right to join trade unions in Barbados.

Back in April Justice Cecil McCarthy, in a written judgment, struck down as “unconstitutional” Sections 23 and 24 of the Prison Amendment Act of 1982.

“My friends, we have committed to trade union recognition. Cabinet has approved the policy that will lead to the legislation to allow for the recognition of trade unions and employers’ associations and we have also taken a decision not to appeal the judgment of the court with respect to prison officers and their right to freedom of association, recognising at the same time, however, that we need to sit down with them and other security officers to ensure that while we respect their rights to freedom of association, we do not put the country’s national security at risk at any stage,” Prime Minister Mottley said in an address to mark May Day celebrations.

She also served notice of her Government’s plan to strengthen the Employment Rights Tribunal.

“We have recognised that the capacity of the Employment Rights Tribunal system needs strengthening and that the case management approach has increased already, the number of cases being heard but we are not stopping there and we will move towards making the Employment Rights Tribunal a full time tribunal, with at least two tribunals meeting each and every day. I expect the Ministry of Labour to give us the paper on operationalising this policy in the next few months,” Mottley revealed as she lauded workers for their service especially over that last two years.

“Our workers’ union represents the gamut of employees from the lowly to the decision makers but on May Day today (Sunday, May 1) we recognise and salute more so those we so easily identify as the salt of the earth. We salute you who kept Barbados alive during the darkest days of this COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and yes in 2021.”

“I want to say to all Barbadians, may we never forget. May we never again fail to appreciate the daily sacrifice of those who work each day to make Barbados a better place.

“Indeed in recognition of this we as a Government will seek to put in place an eternal flame at Golden Square that would forever cause us as a nation to remember that in our darkest days there were those workers who worked fearlessly and with serious sacrifice to put this country first and to put the health of the people of this nation first. We hope that this will allow all Barbadians forever to remember this extraordinary sacrifice and display of courage by ordinary workers,” the Prime Minister announced.

This was the country’s first national celebration of Labour Day since the start of the pandemic.

“The last two years my friends have been challenging but the opportunities of today and tomorrow are many and they bring with them the potential to improve our lives and to transform our landscape by phenomenal measure but we cannot do it without you, the workers of Barbados. We cannot become world class by 2030 unless each and every one of you wants to help in this mission and I will ask you over and over to commit yourself to this. To commit yourselves to active citizenship, to commit yourselves to transforming our nation because we know that will be the surest way to lay the platform for your safety, for your security, for your prosperity and for this country’s overall prosperity,” she added.