BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Jul 15 2015 – A nationwide strike planned for later this week was called off late on Tuesday night after the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC) withdrew letters sent to 10 employees who have reached aged 60.
The National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) had called on the state-owned agency to withdraw the letters sent to the workers and had been implementing various phases of industrial action that would have culminated with a nationwide strike on either Wednesday or Thursday.
The NUPW, which has the support of the Barbados Workers Union (BWU), held a news conference on Tuesday night, announcing that the BIDC had relented and would rescind the letters and recall the retired employees.
“This is a victory for all workers of Barbados,” BWU General Secretary Toni Moore said of the decision.
“Special thanks go out to our members and workers generally who gave flesh to the mantra that Unity is Strength. We also thank the workers for pledging their firm and ongoing support to the leadership of the trade union movement.
“We must also thank the Barbados Social Partnership, the Subcommittee, for reminding all employers – the Government and other stakeholders – that it remains, and must be used, as the engine of industrial stability.”
Moore told reporters that the unions have strongly demonstrated their continued commitment to ensuring that the wellbeing of the working class is protected and that no worker feels disadvantaged.
NUPW President Akanni Mc Dowall told the news conference that he hoped that the decision reached on Tuesday would inform all other decisions of government and all statutory boards planning to retire sexagenarians who had not yet reached age 67.
He said similar letters had also been sent to workers at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), who are approaching the retirement age.
