CTUSAB in the dark about SOE reforms

The Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) is still waiting on the Government of Barbados to engage the body on the future of the state owned enterprises which fall under its umbrella.

Speaking at a press conference at the Barbados Union of Teachers’ headquarters in Welches, St Michael on Friday, president Edwin O’Neal says there has been no consultation with them.

“I would like persons to take note that CTUSAB is very aware of the differences between consultation, information and negotiation. Now we are aware that Government’s desire is to shed themselves of a number of state-owned enterprises, that information is out there. However, there has been no consultation with CTUSAB, there has been no position negotiated that involves CTUSAB. As I understand it, negotiations are about give and take and that has not been the case,” he said.

Government announced via the Budget there would be a shakeup at the SOEs which should be completed by September. O’Neal said he was concerned for the workers who face an uncertain future.

“I have a very deep-grounded concern because a number of these state-owned enterprises exist because Government has had to take on a role that in other societies would be undertaken by the private sector. The fact that Government is now at a stage where they want to divest some of these entities makes me very, very afraid about the future of those SOEs and the future of labour in them,” O’Neal lamented. (Nation News)