THE NATIONAL UNION of Public Workers has responded to the charge that the unions misrepresented the offer made by the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation on Tuesday.
Yesterday Minister of Labour Senator Dr Esther Byer argued that contrary to what the NUPW and the Barbados Workers’ Union told the media, the BIDC had not withdrawn the letters to the ten workers under dispute, nor would they be returning to work.
Further, she said there was an agreement there would be no statement to the media until the final agreement had been hammered out.
Below is the full text of a statement issued this morning by NUPW president Akanni McDowall.
On Tuesday 14th July at the meeting of the subcommittee of the social partnership, the NUPW listened to the case put by the BIDC regarding its financial difficulties. The NUPW indicated that any further discussion would necessitate a full disclosure of the circumstances of the Barbados Investment Development Cooperation (BIDC) and a return of workers to full employment.
Three points were agreed upon:-
(i) not to act on the correspondence which had been sent out;
(ii)offering workers to remain as full employees with all benefits due to them;
(iii) to meet with the NUPW to discuss the challenges facing the BIDC ,with full disclosure to have issues resolved in the shortest possible time.
A return to full employment is and has always been the preferred option for the NUPW for resolution to the impasse. The return to full employment means either a return to the workplace, or full payment while remaining an employee.
Implicit in the return to full employment would have to be that the letters of retirement issued to the workers, could no longer be acted upon.
The NUPW’s priority now is to meet with the board of the BIDC as soon as possible so that a mutually acceptable agreement can be reached through dialogue and in a manner that is consistent with Protocol VI of the Social Partnership of Barbados and the Employments Rights Act.
There should be no termination of any workers outside of this process. (PR/NB)