Former General Secretary of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) and Barbados’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Joseph Goddard, has died, just weeks after the passing of his successor, Dennis Clarke. Goddard, who led the NUPW for three decades from 1973 to 2003, died on Wednesday, aged 82.
Prime Minister Mia Mottley led tributes to the veteran trade unionist, reflecting on the loss of both prominent trade union figures in such a short span of time. Clarke, who succeeded Goddard at the NUPW, died on August 1.
“Having said goodbye to his successor at the National Union of Public Workers, Mr Denis Clarke, just a few weeks ago, receiving the news of the death of Mr Joseph Goddard today was, to put it mildly, shocking,” the PM said.
Mottley recalled first meeting Goddard while both were students in London, where Goddard was pursuing a master’s degree in industrial relations.
“By then, his was a household name in Barbados, and he was the face and voice of the NUPW,” she said. “He served the union faithfully and vigorously for 34 years, most of it as general secretary.”
She added: “He was a trade unionist through and through, having been born a mere two years before the NUPW, originally called the Civil Service Association, was formed in 1944, but eventually serving in such a manner as to become its most recognised General Secretary of modern times.”
Goddard’s contributions to the NUPW included modernising its operations, overseeing the establishment of the Public Workers Academy in the mid-1980s, and guiding the union through some of the most challenging periods in Barbados’ history. Key points include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the eight per cent cut of public servants’ salaries under the Erskine Sandiford administration at the height of an economic structural programme in 1991.
Mottley noted that Goddard played a crucial role in the creation of the Social Partnership and the Prices and Incomes Protocol, which became a model for managing national crises. Even after retiring from public service, Goddard returned to contribute to the establishment of Barbados’ first minimum wage regime in 2022.
In 2010, Goddard transitioned from trade unionism to diplomacy when he was appointed as the Permanent Representative of Barbados to the United Nations, serving for four years.
“His service to country is worthy of praise,” Mottley said. “On behalf of the Government and people of Barbados, I extend sincere condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace.”
Born on August 5, 1942, Goddard’s career in trade unionism began in 1973 when he joined the NUPW. Throughout his 34-year tenure with the NUPW, he held various positions, eventually rising to general secretary.
In addition to his role at NUPW, Goddard was actively involved in the regional labour movement, serving as the general secretary of the Caribbean Public Services Association (CPSA) and as a trustee of the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) since 1983. At home, his influence extended to the umbrella Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) where he was a board member.
Goddard earned a master’s degree in industrial relations and personnel management from the London School of Economics (LSE). He also held a diploma in labour studies from Ruskin College, University of Oxford, where he received a distinction in comparative industrial relations.
He received numerous accolades for his contributions to labour and public service, including the Award of Excellence from the CCL and the Pride of Barbados Award for Distinguished Service from the Democratic Labour Party. His dedication to the labour movement has been recognised regionally, affirming his status as a respected figure in both trade unionism and diplomacy.
Goddard is survived by his wife and two children.
