UWU head says CTUSAB off mark on sabotage allegations

Veteran trade unionist Caswell Franklyn has dismissed claims by the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) that efforts are being made to undermine that organisation.

In fact, the general secretary of the Unity Workers’ Union (UWU), who accused CTUSAB of fighting to remain relevant, said the umbrella body for trade unions has no basis for demanding a seat at the negotiation table.

“They are not a trade union, they do not represent a single worker. CTUSAB is a collection of staff associations and trade unions, and very few trade unions too. The main union in Barbados which is the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) does not form part of CTUSAB.

“And the NUPW [National Union of Public Workers] negotiates on its own; it has from the inception. I was there at NUPW when CTUSAB was first formed and NUPW declared that they would not give up the right to represent their members,” Franklyn contended.

Delivering remarks at CTUSAB’s annual end-of-year press conference on Wednesday, general secretary Dennis DePeiza said there appeared to be an effort to create “constructive chaos” by not acknowledging CTUSAB as the umbrella body for trade unions and he said that could destroy the body if it went unchecked.

DePeiza charged that there was a developing trend where “our constituents are being accommodated at the table in their individual rights”. He questioned how CTUSAB could be speaking on behalf of members who were at the table speaking for themselves.

However, Franklyn rejected DePeiza’s argument.

“What he is saying does not make sense. The constituents are represented at the table and the constituents can bring whoever they want to assist them. CTUSAB does not represent anybody and if their constituents do not ask them to come then it is not for the Government to ask them,” he said.

“It is like you going to court and a lawyer comes and tells you ‘I want to represent you’ and you tell the lawyer ‘no’. You go when you are invited and you go by the person who can invite you. I think CTUSAB does not understand its role,” Franklyn argued.

The UWU boss suggested that while the Barbados Police Service Act and Barbados Fire Service Act prevent police officers and firemen from associating with trade unions, the Government was yet to enforce the law to prevent the two from having a relationship with CTUSAB.

“The Government is not undermining CTUSAB, CTUSAB is undermining CTUSAB…. The Government and CTUSAB are cosy, the Government is doing everything to facilitate CTUSAB so that they could be available when the Government needs them,” he charged.

Franklyn accused the umbrella organisation of seeking to undermine the UWU, criticising nurses he represented when they went on strike last year.

“Now, that is a classic case of dividing the trade unions and he [DePeiza] thought it appropriate to do so,” the outspoken trade unionist and former opposition senator said. (AH)