BWU on new path

Mon, September 06, 2010 - 12:00 AM

Employees should get rid of the idea of not working on their birthday and of taking a day off when they feel like it.

But employers also have to dump the idea of pocketing all the profits and exploiting workers through low pay, job insecurity and the absence of benefits.

General secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), Sir Roy Trotman, made these recommendations yesterday when the BWU delegates conference resumed at its headquarters.

Sir Roy told the more than 200 unionists that the BWU was pushing for worker/employer partnerships “as the new way”, but both sides have to give of their best.

Labour should be “honest” and “go beyond the four walls of the job description” to get the work done and to make Barbados a more profitable and productive place, he suggested.

He said the idea of people refusing to work on their birthday did not fit into this picture, calling it “madness” and “selfishness”.

He was also critical of those workers who insisted on taking days off even though not ill or faced with an emergency.

However, he made the point that employers must not seek to pocket all their profits, given that workers help create that wealth “and capital by itself can do nothing”.

He told the meeting that while Barbados had a number of good employers there were several bad ones operating security, supermarket, petrol and other businesses, where workers were “severely marginalised” and exploited.

Some of these employers have no respect for workers’ rights and appear bent on “sucking the very marrow from the bones” of the workers and the economy, he charged.

He warned that a country would not progress far unless the workers who contributed to its economic growth benefited from decent work programmes.

Sir Roy said the union, in promoting the idea of partnerships, was extending the left hand of fellowship to employers “but the right hand must still have the sword of righteous indignation”.

Employers should not think that because the union is seeking a partnership that it has “become too weak to fight” or “too tired to fight”, he said. (TY)

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Posted by callen 1 year, 5 months ago: Sir Roy,I want to agree with
you on these two issues.But
I find that some of the workers need training in dealing with customers who come into the Supermarkets,
offices, gas stations` mini marts,bus drivers are a few that I observed.If Barbados adopt the system that you can`t stay home for a day or two and still be paid for the whole week.When you take out all of your sick and personal days then you will only be paid for the days you work and you can be fired for taking too many days out from the job unless its due to a family or your child`s sickness, then you may get a break.

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Posted by sherryann bajan-n-canada 1 year, 4 months ago: I find that the Bajan worker is too laid back..In Canada as a cashier you have to be standing up not sitting down..and if you see one of your friends in the line of people you can’t be talking to then with others in the line. I love how gas attendants serve you down there, you have to pay extra for that service. When I come back which is quite often sometime more than once per year I get frustrated at how slow the service is. Send them to Canada for training and see how fast things pick up down.

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Posted by bajanewyorker 1 year, 4 months ago: What is so wrong with a worker taking a vacation day if it’s his/her birthday? I am 62 years old and have NEVER worked on my birthday in Barbados or New York and no one ever had a problem with it. If I feel tired or sick and I have sick days remaining, I take one or two days. You big ups might not take days off, but when ‘long leave’ times come around, you are off on an expensive, extended trip enjoying yourselves. Same khaki pants…take it now or later. Stupes.

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Posted by bajanpat 1 year, 4 months ago: TWhat is wrong with taking off your birthday I have been inthe usa for 28 years and have taking my birthday off I believe that that day was specilly created for you and as long as the person have the vacation time it is nothing wrong with it. I agreed with many who states taht Bajan work ethic are too relax and cutomer service has gone to the dogs unless you go to the upscale places where customer service is paramount. I wish that Barbados could trade place with some of us that live in american and canada that work for a living and i am willing to bet MANY OF THEM would not survive they have no respect for the people who help make their paycheck and until they attitudes changes or do like i do walk out of the stoe and leave the stuff on the counter and go to a place where you will get better service.

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Posted by Pocohontas 1 year, 4 months ago

All workers should be able to take a day off whether it’s their birthday or they just feel like taking a day off. But, they must be told that the day would be deducted from their vacation time and they should request the day off in advance. Calling off should only be for medical emergencies or if you really don’t feel well. Workers should be warned that if they call off more than three times in a calendar year they could be fired. Also, all workers should have a yearly appraisal on how they are doing. This appraisal should be tied into any raises or bonuses. Any complaints/comments against a worker should be noted and the employee should be told what customers say about them.

Only until the Barbadian workers are held responsible for their behavior will you see any improvement in their customer service skills. I would like for Sir Roy Trotman to have a meeting with the workers to let them know that their need to work on improving their customer service skills.