The Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) is calling on the Ministry of Labour to launch a full-scale investigation into allegations that a Christ Church hotel has engaged the services of several workers without contracts.
General secretary of the BWU, Toni Moore, yesterday expressed outrage at these reports, highlighting the urgent need for action.
“It has come to our attention that following recent layoffs, several individuals have been re-engaged without contracts, allegedly paid in cash under exploitative terms that defy both legal and ethical standards,” Moore said.
She said the union was “utterly shocked and appalled” by the ongoing situation.
“After being told by the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) that we should be quiet and accept layoffs as a norm in the hotel industry, we have now been informed of an even more disturbing reality. After sending home workers across several departments of the hotel, at least 18 individuals have since been engaged and are currently working in the housekeeping department without contracts. These workers are allegedly being paid in cash, with no pay slips or written contracts provided, under a degrading arrangement of $400 per week and are being called casuals,” the BWU boss claimed.
“Under normal practice in the hotel industry, casuals are hired during high season, not as replacements for permanent workers who have been laid off,” she added.
Meanwhile, other workers were reportedly being referred to as “selfcontractors” in the laundry and project departments and were subject to the same oppressive conditions.
“These workers reportedly have no control over their hours or terms of employment, yet are being called contractors – another appalling violation of what should be fair and transparent working conditions,” Moore claimed.
According to the BWU, the situation was no longer just about industry norms or seasonal layoffs.
“This comes at a time when we have received reports that the hotel is allegedly operating at 90 per cent occupancy. If this is true, the company may be short of their regard for decent work but is definitely not short of guests. If the allegations are true, [the hotel] is creating a class of ‘casuals’ that
is underpaid and without protection, while reaping massive benefits from Government support and high tourist occupancy,” Moore, the MP for St George South, asserted.
Hospitality industry
She said such behaviour within the hospitality industry led to the call for and proclamation of the Labour Clauses (Concessions) Act, of 2024. “Though the Barbados Workers’ Union does not formally represent these workers, we could not allow ourselves to stand idly by. We immediately blew the whistle on these allegations yesterday [Friday] and received subsequent information that the Minister of Labour acted promptly to summon an emergency meeting with hotel management,” Moore revealed.
“Time and time again, we are shown that too many companies care more about their bottom line than the people who are the lifeblood of the tourism industry. To workers in Barbados, yet again I appeal for you not to remain silent. There can be no doubt for the need for solidarity in combatting such attacks on workers and their rights.”
Moore also urged workers in the industry to associate. “The time to act is now. Join a union! What is happening today to your colleagues could easily happen to you tomorrow. We must stand together to ensure fairness and justice for all.”
She also suggested that the BHTA not hide behind claims of seasonal patterns and focus on what is right.
“Stop endorsing the attitudes of some who are your members to treat workers as chattel,” she said.
(BA/PR)
