Industrial action could be avoided – minister

Many of the recent “wildcat” strikes in Barbados have been triggered by workers’ frustrations over a lack of communication by management.

Labour minister Colin Jordan made this assertion while speaking on Friday’s Down to Brass Tacks radio programme which discussed the current industrial relations environment which has seen a number of work stoppages in recent weeks in both the private and public sectors.

This week, employees walked off their jobs at Duty Free Barbados, the United Commercial Autoworks Limited and the School Meals Department and these followed similar action at the Ministry of Education, the Transport Board and the Sanitation Service Authority.

Suggesting that many of these incidents are a result of issues which have been simmering for a long time, Jordan said that such action by workers could have been avoided if management was more proactive.

“We still have some ways to go with regards to worker/management relations. What we see in industrial relations is reflective of what we see with wider society – the inability of people to just sit down, be civil and talk through issues. Persons who consider themselves to be in leadership have to be concerned and considerate enough to engage with those who may be considered to be lower-level and talk through issues.

“Persons do not like to feel as though the issues they have raised are not being attended to and sometimes the matter is being attended to, but those who are being impacted are not aware. Again, this comes down to communication,” Jordan said.

The minister said the Labour Department has been involved in the resolution of many of the recent cases of industrial action, including Duty Free Barbados and the Transport Board. He encouraged employers to keep their staff engaged and up-to-date on what actions were being taken to address their concerns.

Asked whether there will be a re-look at the $8.50 per hour minimum wage in light of the impact of the high cost of living, Jordan said the council assigned to the matter is set to meet soon.

“The national minimum wage is set at $8.50, but it is not cast in stone forever. The Minimum Wage Council has not met for a while, but it is to meet now because a period of time has passed, because that discussion is to be ongoing. There is no discussion happening at the moment with respect to the national minimum wage, but there are ongoing negotiations about wage increases generally,” he said.

jeniquebelgrave@barbadostoday.bb