BICO employees to return to duties after three-day strike

BICO workers were set to return to work on Saturday following a three-day strike over pay and unsafe working conditions, the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) said Friday.

BWU’s Legal Officer Alexandria Thomas confirmed that significant progress had been made after extensive discussions with BICO at the Labour Department on Friday, which marked the third full day of negotiations.

“The work stoppage affected operations and workers, but we have stood firm in our demands,” she said.

Thomas described the resolution as “a positive turn of events”.

“Based on good, safe negotiations between the parties, workers will resume their jobs starting tomorrow, Saturday, October 19,” she said.

While the current agreement’s specifics remain confidential, further negotiations between the two parties are scheduled for Monday. Thomas was upbeat about a final resolution: “We remain optimistic that, with the progress made thus far, a favourable resolution is on the horizon.”

The strike, which began on Tuesday, was the result of long-standing grievances regarding wages and unsafe working conditions. Workers argued that their pay had not kept pace with the rising cost of living and raised concerns
over hazardous workplace conditions that required urgent attention.

For three days, striking workers refused to return to their posts and instead gathered outside BICO headquarters, demanding that their concerns be addressed. The stoppage brought operations at the 119-year-old ice cream maker and cold store to a halt, prompting both management and the BWU to engage in talks under the supervision of the Labour Department to resolve the standoff.

shannamoore@barbadostoday.bb