Hotel sector, transport board on BWU’s industrial relations radar

By Anesta Henry

As the country prepares for May Day celebrations on Monday, the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) is sounding a warning about the undermining of workers in the hotel sector and the lingering issues at the Transport Board, industrial relations matters which have been engaging its attention.
General Secretary Toni Moore said in recent months, the union has had a major breakthrough resolving matters that affected workers at several companies, including Bridgetown Duty Free and the United Commercial Autoworks Limited (UCAL).
“In the case of Duty Free, matter solved. In the case of UCAL, matter solved. In the case of Transport Board, well those matters are ongoing and they better get their act together if they don’t want another stir up down there,” Moore told members of the media during a site visit to the Botanical Gardens on Wednesday afternoon, ahead of next week’s holiday.
Meanwhile, she indicated, the BWU has been negotiating with management of businesses on contract work and health and safety issues in the workplace. She added that the BWU was also awaiting the settlement of a number of cases now before the Employment Rights Tribunal (ERT).
“We have the tourism industry that is the mainstay of Barbados and we have within that industry especially, hotels that have signed up to a memorandum of agreement with the Barbados Workers’ Union for years, that in my view, speaking on behalf of the Executive Council, are undermining the rights of a lot of workers in the backbone of that sector,” Moore said.
She added: “That sector is earmarked for a big campaign, and we can only urge the members within that sector that if you are not members of the union to come and join us because in unity there is strength. If you are in a division that only has a handful of people, employers don’t really take you on.
“People accuse the union of focusing on the big groups, but it is the big groups that have the strength and it is those big groups that are able to bolster the weaknesses of the small groups. We need people to come together and stand up for the change that they want to see in their own circumstances.”
Moore said the May Day 2023 celebrations themed It’s About You, organised by the BWU in partnership with the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) will be a big event where workers would be able to relax and enjoy performances from prominent entertainers including Red Plastic Bag, Lil Rick, Edwin Yearwood, Mole, Peter Ram, and gospel artist John Yarde who will kick off the proceedings. She said provisions have been made for a kids’ zone, a pampering booth and several competitions to be held on site.
The General Secretary said there will also be the signing of a declaration on the “missions” of Barbados.
“People may have recalled the Prime Minister [Mia Mottley] on Independence Day and since then making mention of the fact that the country was going to be proceeding with its strategic role on implementation of a number of things around some core missions.
“And there are six missions that have been identified and supported by the social partners. And, the Social Partnership will sign onto those missions on the day as a commitment of our commitment to achieve a number of objectives that will make a change in the lives of Barbadians. I will not be the one to spill the beans now, come and hear more about that,” she said.
Prime Minister Mottley, representatives of the labour movement and the private sector are expected to make remarks at the May Day event in the Botanical Gardens.
anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb