Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley has called on Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations Colin Jordan to address claims of workers’ exploitation and complaints regarding some employers’ challenge to workers’ right to join a trade union.
These were among several areas of concern raised on the second day of debate of the 2021-2022 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, when Jordan and his team from the Ministry of Labour were called upon to defend the Ministry’s stewardship and explain how the allocation of $7.2 million in the Estimates would be spent.
Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw asked Jordan for an update on the National First Job Initiative programme which was designed to enable young people to get into the labour market, while St George North MP and general secretary of the Barbados Workers Union Toni Moore quizzed the Minister of Labour Minister about progress on the minimum wage proposals.
The issue of casualisation where workers are being given contracts for service thereby eliminating employers’ responsibilty for things such National Insurance payments, was raised by St Michael South MP Kirk Humphrey who said it was a problem brought to his attention by constituents.
Before proceeding to question the Minister of Labour on the performance of his ministry, the Opposition Leader chided Jordan for “not speaking out enough”. He described Jordan as “the most silent of all Labour Ministers we have had in Barabados”. (GC)
