Boycott call

The supposed actions of one retailer are resulting in the members of the island’s largest trade union being urged to boycott that establishment.

In a fiery address at the opening ceremony of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) 76th Annual Delegates Conference at Solidarity House yesterday, General Secretary, Toni Moore, issued the call for members not to patronise a certain retail store, as she alleged that the company – which has been afforded “every concessions under the sun” by Government – is denying its workers their rights. Moore then took the call even further, encouraging members to boycott any company which is engaged in the blatant disregard for the system of industrial relations in this country.

Moore suggested to those gathered for the opening ceremony, including Minister of Tourism and Minister Transport, Richard Sealy; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Patrick Todd and Leader of the Opposition, Mia Mottley, that the company has been undermining the Union’s commitment to provide decent work. She said the company has been engaging in union busting tactics resulting in persons losing jobs, because they have “committed the cardinal sin of becoming a union member.

“They call the police on officers who go to represent workers who have been ‘unfaired’. As recently as Monday, Monday gone a few days ago, the Minister of Labour indicated that she has seen no letter of complaint from the Barbados Workers Unions, and she is right. And we will submit the appropriate correspondence, but her ministry has knowledge of their refusal to meet to discuss the cases brought by the BWU…” she said.

Moore’s comments came as she lamented that in spite of this knowledge, nothing is being done to rein that company in. The union boss made the point as she also referred to the national shutdown two Thursdays ago on account of the passage of Tropical Storm Harvey, in which she noted that the said company, instead of closing its doors early as others did, closed at 9 p.m.

“They are so confident of Government’s support that in a national shutdown they can publicise that they would open four hours beyond the shutdown time to facilitate you; that’s the claim, to facilitate you, our members, the people of Barbados. And some of us unthinkably go without regard for those other workers in that store who like many of you were caught off guard and who had wanted to go home to safeguard themselves and their families,” she said.

The BWU’s head spoke to the concern, as she maintained that the BWU cannot rest on the laurels of past achievement. With that in mind, she said they must be judged on what they achieve today and what they will achieve for their people going forward, in the face of those who she said are bent on denying workers their rights. Referring to the song “We Shall Overcome”, she made it clear to the gathering that the fight is not over.

“It provides comfort, it provides and offers hope. Hope as the Barbados Workers’ Unions continues its struggle against those who are bent on denying workers their rights. It encourages us that the struggle must continue against those who wish to entrap workers in a form of modern day slavery,” she said.