A national strike, which could see thousands of workers on the streets, is now looming following LIME’s decision not to withdraw dismissal letters to 97 employees.
A last-ditch effort mediated by Minister of Labour Esther Byer-Suckoo at the Ministry of Labour’s offices in Warrens, St Michael, failed last night to bring a resolution between the telecommunications company and the island’s largest trade union, the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU).
Emerging from over four hours of intense negotiations, general secretary of the BWU, Sir Roy Trotman, said the union would go ahead with plans to launch an island-wide shutdown after the talks broke down yesterday.
“We are now going to advise my council to take industrial action against Cable & Wireless. The council will decide when that will be,” said the union boss. “I am very disappointed with Cable & Wireless and the Barbados Employers’ Confederation and with the way that employers are deciding that they don’t respect . . . the rights of workers in Barbados,” he said, before heading to the union’s Solidarity House headquarters for the meeting with the executive council.
