Barbados’ industrial scene may soon see some fireworks because of differences of opinion between unionists and employers.
General secretary of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), Dennis Clarke, hinted at this, addressing the union’s 67th Annual General Conference on Thursday night.
Clarke told the gathering that the NUPW was on “a collision course” with some bosses.
He made the comment after complaining about “unfair labour practices” in a number of agencies, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) and the Customs and Excise Department.
“In welcoming you, I will not dwell on the maladministration of the Public Service Act, 2007,” he told the gathering.
“I will not dwell on the unfair labour practices of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where that institution currently wants to unilaterally change the terms and conditions of service of the workers.
“I will not dwell on the unacceptable labour practices in the Customs and Excise Department.…However, I will publicly warn that we are on a collision path and that this NUPW train does not have any brakes.”
Clarke also complained that workers at the Gymnasium Ltd were still without a pension plan, despite the efforts of the union, and that employees of the Barbados Community College and the National Housing Corporation (NHC) had been acting for more than 10 years without a permanent appointment.
“I will not publicly ask for an enquiry into the Court Process Department, where the administration leaves more than a lot to be desired,” he added, while listing his concerns.
NUPW president Walter Maloney said there was need for the Public Service to be redesigned to deliver the best possible service to Barbadians.
But in the process the “legitimate concerns and interest” of public sector workers must not be sacrificed, he stressed.
Maloney said changes in Public Service delivery, no matter how they were instituted, must not result in services of lower quality for recipients.
“The point of public sector reform is not only to serve people more cheaply but in a way that efficiently and effectively meets their needs,” he remarked.
“We believe that reform must be sought if we are to deliver high quality public services. It cannot be achieved by sacrificing the legitimate concerns and interest of public sector workers.”
He charged that over the last decade strong political forces had “tried to dismantle even the basic structures of the Public Service”.
“I am proud to say that this union has fought hard and resisted, and will continue to do so, any attempt to privatise health, transportation, housing and sanitation services,” he said.
“We, as public sector workers and by extension our unions, want to preserve and strengthen public services, instead of having them weakened or destroyed,” he added.
