NUPW SAYS IT’S STILL WAITING FOR DETAILS ON SOE REFORMS
By Jenique Belgrave
The National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) is concerned that the Government is holding back critical information regarding its plans to reform state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
At the same time, the umbrella body for trade unions in Barbados says it remains completely in the dark about the process.
NUPW General Secretary Richard Green told Barbados TODAY the island’s largest public sector trade union is still awaiting progress reports on the reforms.
“We are not satisfied that we are getting all of the information that is required. There are a number of entities where reform has been proposed. We have already met with some and we’ve put our positions relative to how the process should go based on our experience, and in most cases, we are still awaiting information and progress reports on those reforms,” he stated.
While remaining tight-lipped on the details, he said the union has already been engaged in talks with the majority of the SOEs which were at certain levels of progress.
“In the majority of them, we have had initial consultations, but there’s more information that we have requested to be in a better position to advise our members,” Green stated, adding while information has been coming steadily it is not always adequate.
He said the union was demanding the fullest consultation throughout the entire reform exercise and to be privy to all of the information in order to be in a position to advise members on all options.
Green said the NUPW also wanted to ensure that what is being executed is being done with the best interest of workers in mind.
“Reform of any SOE is a highly emotive and a highly sensitive exercise. We do not focus on deadlines. We focus primarily on making sure that the best possible results are maintained for the staff, especially those who may be affected negatively and to ensure that the SOE coming out the exercise is one that is stable, is one that supports future workers and does not compromise the services that it is providing to clients, especially the public,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, General Secretary of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations for Barbados (CTUSAB) Dennis De Peiza said his organisation remains out of the loop regarding the restructuring of the SOEs.
“Nothing has changed. We have had no word and know nothing about what is going on with that process,” he told Barbados TODAY.
During a press conference in March, officials of the trade union umbrella body said it was not involved in any of the discussions taking place.
At the time, De Peiza said the situation demonstrated the protracted disrespect being shown to the association, as it had often been left “begging” with repeated requests to engage with top government officials either declined or unanswered.
Giving a brief snapshot of the progress being made by a few of the SOEs last month, Prime Minister Mia Mottley told the media the majority of the reforms should be finished over the next year.
She said she had met with officials of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and had plans to have further discussions “to look at streamlining its further capital programme”.
“The Mass Transit Authority and the Transport Board are well underway in terms of planning,” she added.
The Prime Minister had also revealed that the lone public radio and television broadcaster, the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, was in negotiations with a potential buyer.
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