It will be a labour war in Barbados if either political party or group seeks large-scale layoffs as its remedy for the current economic problems.
In one of his most strongly-worded statements since the global economic crisis started in 2008, general secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), Sir Roy Trotman, said yesterday that the union would not take kindly to suggestions of privatization of several state institutions and possible mass layoffs.
The head of the island’s oldest trade union slammed economists whom he said had “forgotten their roots and who will cut off public sector jobs without proper regard for the social mayhem that will result”.
“The BWU cannot and will not 20 years later speak for all of labour as we did then”, Sir Roy said with reference to the 1991 islandwide shutdown and marches against similar action by the then Government.
