Berger Paints closes plant, 44 jobs lost

Forty-four Berger Paints workers, some with more than a decade of service, will lose their jobs on Friday when the company shuts its Barbados manufacturing plant, warehouse, colour shops and administrative offices, ending decades of local production even as its products remain on shop shelves.

The company confirmed on Wednesday that it was shifting to a new distribution model, which would see the closure of its manufacturing plant, warehouse, colour shops and administrative offices on Friday.

Toni Moore, MP and General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), which represents the workers, described the impact of the closure.  “The Berger situation is impacting the workers in a serious way. The average tenure at Berger is at least 10 years, and I would assume closer to 15, so people have been at the company for a long enough time, where they have built their lives and their livelihoods around employment at that company.”

She also highlighted the uncertainty they now face: “The uncertainty that many of them face, still of working age, but older in terms of working age and having now to look for other opportunities for employment is a natural consequence.”

Moore spoke to the emotional toll of the sudden decision: “These things bear out in a mental way, an emotional way, after you believe that you’ve given so much to a company.”

Following the announcement in February, the Minister of Labour Colin Jordan, expressed concern about the consultation process the company indicated it would undertake with the Labour Department.

He said: “The law requires six weeks of consultation. Good practice and legal rulings suggest and mandate that the consultation must be meaningful. I am not sure how meaningful consultation can be if a decision has already been made and if it appears to be written in stone. On the legal side, therefore, my concern is that the announcement may tarnish the ability of the company and the trade union representing the workers to have meaningful consultations.”

The Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) also expressed outrage at the decision, calling for a probe amid concerns that workers’ rights may have been violated.

CTUSAB General Secretary Dennis Depeiza underscored the need for stronger oversight and enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with the law.

“To bring a halt to this practice, there must be a review of the enforcement mechanism under the Employment Rights Act, for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the process where there is the intended closure of a business, which triggers redundancies.”

The head of the BWU also questioned the company’s decision to continue selling its products, despite ceasing production here.

“What makes the situation of Berger even more concerning in a and then where the public should be more concerned is that the company proposes to continue selling its product. It’s just not going to be making product here. And I believe that they’ll have more to say about that.”

Berger products will continue to be sold locally through Carters (via Blades and Williams) and Ace H&B Hardware, while manufacturing will be relocated elsewhere in the region.