Union demands safer transport after workers shot in early-morning attack

Two KFC employees were wounded in a drive-by shooting early Monday morning, prompting renewed calls from the Barbados Workers Union (BWU) for improved safety measures and reliable transportation for late-shift workers.

According to police, the incident occurred around 1:55 a.m. in South District, St George, near the Methodist Church. The vehicle transporting the KFC workers home had stopped to drop off a passenger when a white car approached and someone inside discharged multiple rounds into the vehicle. The 36-year-old driver and a 53-year-old employee seated in the front were struck multiple times. Both victims were transported to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by ambulance.

BWU General Secretary Toni Moore described the attack as “heartbreaking” and called for national solidarity with the injured workers.

“As a union and a society, we must stand with them in their pain and offer every measure of support. This is not a moment for ‘I told you so’, nor are we here to jump on any misfortune, but it is a stark reminder of the urgent need for KFC and other companies to prioritise worker safety,” Moore said.

She charged that the union had made numerous appeals to the management of the fast-food chain to provide safer transportation for staff.

“During the past 12 months, we have written to KFC no fewer than seven times urging them to implement a safe and reliable commute system after work when public transport is no longer available,” the BWU boss said. “It is unacceptable in the first place that suitable transportation is not made available to avoid workers having to wait for hours after the shift has ended for delivery drivers to complete their routes, leaving workers vulnerable at a precarious hour.”

She added that such conditions not only endanger workers but also reduce their time to rest and be with their families.

Moore accused the company of prioritising profits over employee welfare and called for immediate change: “This cannot stand. It is time for Barbadians to reflect on what we value as a society and demand better for those who serve us.”

The general secretary stressed that worker safety must be a priority as Barbados moves toward a 24-hour economy.

Moore said: “If this country is to move toward a 24-hour economy, as it should, perhaps, a just transition must prioritise the safety, dignity, and well-being of workers. Reliable, safe transportation for late-shift employees is not optional, it is a must. Anything less is a failure of responsibility.”

She issued two appeals to the company and the public.

“To KFC Barbados, we say: the safety of your workers must come before your bottom line. To Barbadians, we urge: stand with the workers. When we fail to value those who serve us, we all lose,” Moore said.

The BWU head concluded with an appeal for societal change: “What happened early this morning and the lack of tolerance that is permeating across too many areas of this society is not who we are. Let this tragedy be the moment we choose to do better.” (LG)