Teachers’ mass sick-out was a ‘success’ — BUT

Industrial action called by the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) that sparked 800 teachers to call in sick last month, bringing more than 60 schools to a standstill, has been deemed a decisive success by union leader Rudy Lovell.

The sick-out on April 24 and 25 was intended to pressure the Ministry of Education into addressing a string of unresolved grievances, most notably a term’s vacation leave that had been discontinued since 2014.

“The sick-out was successful, very successful. We had in excess of 60 schools affected,” Lovell told Barbados TODAY. “Based on the participation, you can see that the sick-out achieved its objective.”

Teachers were previously entitled to a term’s leave every five years after 15 years of service, but the 2014 change limited that leave to only two occasions: once at 15 years and once before retirement.

The BUT said the change was made without union consultation and was originally described as a temporary measure.

In a press conference on the first day of industrial action, the Ministry of Education offered a conflicting account of the impact of the sick-out, claiming that fewer than ten schools were affected.

But Lovell dismissed the official figures as misleading, arguing that the government’s reliance on student teachers and retired teachers provided undeniable proof of the disruption.

“If the sick-out had not been successful, there would be no need for student teachers or even retired teachers to step in and fill the void. The need for substitutes clearly indicates the success of the action,” he explained.

According to Lovell, the mass absence was not a one-off demonstration, but a potent expression of widespreaddissatisfaction within the teaching profession.

“It sent a clear message. The public is now aware of what is happening, and the ministry knows we are serious about addressing the current needs in education,” he said.

Among other issues are chronic delays in salary payments, discrepancies in remuneration, and the failure to issue contracts to some educators-practices which Lovell claims breach existing labour laws.

“Some teachers are still being paid late; some aren’t receiving the correct salary, and there are teachers working without contracts. This is a breach of the law,” he said.

The union also expressed frustration with what it describes as a lack of meaningful engagement from the ministry. Despite the gravity of the issues, Lovell said there has been no formal invitation to meet with union representatives.

“To the best of my knowledge, any invitation for discussions should have come through the union. But we haven’t received any correspondence from the Ministry of Educational Transformation,” he said.

Tensions have also been inflamed by a lack of clarity surrounding the ministry’s reported support for term’s leave without reinstating it. Lovell questioned the basis for further discussions if the issue had indeed been resolved.

He said: “No one is opposed to giving leave, but the question is: What are we coming back to discuss? What will be the terms of engagement if that issue is resolved?”

Adding to the confusion, Lovell said, there was talk about the millions of dollars term’s leave was costing the government, suggesting that could be the reason why it was not reimplemented.

Lovell said: “The $6 million figure was never communicated to us by the ministry. We only heard about it through the media. And if the $6 million is too much to address the current needs, how can we be expected to negotiate for additional terms?”

While declining to reveal specific plans for future action, Lovell made clear the union is not backing down. “I can’t tell you what the next move is,” he said, stressing that the next step rests with those in authority to resolve the crisis.

The protest also ignited speculation about potential political motivations behind the union’s stance, but Lovell strongly denied these claims, insisting the action was driven by the legitimate struggles of educators and not party politics.

“We cannot politicise the issues of working people,” he said. “This action was not just about leave; it was about teachers being paid late, not receiving their full income, and being denied proper contracts. These are fundamental issues that cannot be politicised.” (sheriabrathwaite@barbadosotday.bb)