THE BARBADOS WORKERS’ Union did not ask the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados to leave the offices it occupied at the BWU’s Solidarity House headquarters.
Rather, general secretary of the BWU Toni Moore said the group left voluntarily.
Moore who was responding to a story carried in the DAILY NATION in which a source said CTUSAB was cash-strapped and had incurred additional expense renting office space.
Moore who was speaking to the media following the launch of this year’s May Day activities said:“My natural opinion is that the media committed some error in reporting that story from CTUSAB because I do not think that the leadership of CTUSAB would stoop to such levels of dishonesty to misrepresent the truth so far off from what really occurred back then.”
She said the BWU never issued notice to the Congress to leave the BWU’s Harmony Hall premises and the office spaced formerly used by the Congress remained unoccupied.
In a statement issued yesterday, CTUSAB also distanced itself from the source’s comments, saying it was “dismayed at the assertion that it was given notice to vacate the rent-free offices it operated at Solidarity House”.
“The Congress wishes to make it abundantly clear that it paid monthly rent at commercial rates to the Barbados Workers’ Union, for the office space it occupied at Solidarity House. Its decision to relocate was based on the need to find adequate office space at a reduced rate,” the statement said.
CTUSAB also disassociated itself from claim that its dire financial situation was a direct result of the failure of the Government to keep its annual commitment of a subvention.
It said Government had never failed to honour its obligation. (LK)
