Strike action suspended

Although accepted “reluctantly but magnanimously” according to Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, the request by the PM for the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) to forego any further industrial action was acceded following a high level meeting at Government headquarters yesterday evening.

The PM, who stated that he is hoping for an aggressive resolution between the two entities, formally asked the Union to suspend its industrial action at LIME and to thwart any similar moves across the island, a call which has been accepted but with the stipulation that LIME returns to the negotiations with the trade union.

“The Union, in my view, has shown due deference to the Office of the Prime Minister and has agreed that they would put on hold, not only the limited industrial action which it has enforced at the premises of the company, but also any further planned industrial action that would affect Barbados as a whole,” the PM stated to the assembled media.

After a three-and-a-half hour meeting with PM Stuart; LIME representatives, including General Manager Alex McDonald; Minister of Labour, Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo, other Labour Ministry representatives and Barbados Employers’ Confederation (BEC) members, the BWU released a statement confirming the halting of the industrial action which took place at LIME yesterday as well as plans for strikes across the island.

As such, the workers who participated in the “sit-in” industrial action yesterday are expected to return to normal working procedures today.

“Based on the intervention by the Honourable Prime Minister, Mr. Freundel Stuart, in the dispute with the BEC and Cable and Wireless, the BWU has agreed that it will suspend plans for national industrial action to permit the conciliation process to proceed without improper and indecent interference as has been the case with Cable and Wireless under the chairmanship of the Minister of Labour, Dr. the Honourable Esther Byer-Suckoo,” the statement read.

“The BWU has made it clear to the Prime Minister that the suspension is out of deference to his office and in the welfare of the wider Barbadian public, especially at this time,” it continued.

However, the BWU is not ruling out a resumption of industrial action if LIME does not return to the negotiation process to find a suitable outcome for both parties.

“The BWU has made it clear that if no attempt is made by the employer to demonstrate his acknowledgement of his breach of the industrial relations process and to address the matter honestly and fairly, the suspended industrial relation action will have to be triggered,” it was stated, noting also that the Barbados Workers’ Union thanked its members and well-wishers for their support. (EL)