Trade Unionism in Barbados by Peter MacD Earle BSc, LLM

Over the last 20 to 30 years, trade union membership in most advanced economies around the world has decreased and the evidence suggests that trade unions now in some instances less capable of using the strike weapon as an effective tool to achieve their objectives. Additionally, it appears that in Barbados trade unions are not as militant as they used to be, and neither are they as capable of restraining trade and commercial activities at the national level during industrial relations disputes.

Over the last three decades, trade unions have further deteriorated as membership has declined for one reason or another. In recent times in Barbados the restructuring of statutory corporations, some public sector departments and private sector companies as well as the deleterious effect of the COVI 19 virus have caused businesses to close down, resulting in a reduced labour force and membership within the respective trade unions.

One report on the internet states that in 1996, the Barbados Workers Union (BWU) was the largest trade union, with around 15,000 members, followed by the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), which had about 6000 members. The current NUPW website says that N.U.P.W.  has a membership of over 10,000 strong and represents all categories of government workers including casual employees, clerical staff, senior and managerial staff, security officers, employees in the legal services, health, education, revenue collection, welfare, statutory boards, etc.  If this information is correct, it would mean that since 1996, NUPW membership has significantly increased. Reliable sources have indicated that the membership of the NUPW is no where near to 10,000 presently. 

Recently it was reported in the local press (October 2021) that the BWU General Secretary revealed that there had been a falloff in its membership within certain sectors. She went on to say that there had been increases in other sectors which led to an overall contraction of just 2% since December 31st, 2020.  Continuing she stated that “although the BWU had lost members in a few key areas, the membership of the union remained stable and that was only because other people are joining.” While the BWU is claiming that their membership is stable, that organization has engaged in at least two restructuring exercises over the last five years which has also resulted in staff reductions and the closing down of their training college which was opened on 20th September 1974. I recalled participating in that momentous occasion as a schoolboy at Combermere.

While the general perception is that membership is decreasing in the two major trade unions, the Unity Workers Union has publicly stated that they are gaining members as workers complain that they are dissatisfied with the quality of representation and service being offered by NUPW, BWU and the Barbados Nurses Association. Membership has also decreased because some workers opine that unions are no longer relevant in today's society.

Interestingly enough the Unity Workers Union is currently representing approximately five (5) former employees of the Barbados Workers Union, allegedly fired unfairly. This symbolizes an interesting dynamic in which one trade union is representing the former employees of another trade union who are claiming that they have been unfairly dismissed. We are eagerly awaiting the outcome of these cases being championed by Caswell Franklyn, a veteran trade unionist  and an authority on labour and employment laws in Barbados. 

There is no love lost between trade unions in Barbados. CTUSAB, the umbrella organization for trade unions was allegedly asked to leave the office they rented or occupied on the premises of the BWU some years ago. Since that incident I am not aware that the BWU have renewed membership in that organization.  It is also rumored that the NUPW is not a member of CTUSAB and that organization is left with a small membership consisting of some of the smaller unions. There is some rivalry among trade unions as they compete within the industrial relations market.

It is commonly considered that the demise of manufacturing industrial enterprises in Barbados especially in the 1980s and early 1990s was one of the primary causes for the reduction in trade union membership.  In the 1980s there were several garment and furniture manufacturing plants as well as electronic manufacturing plants which employed thousands of unionized workers. In 1986 Intel announced that it was shutting down its Barbados plant, which employed 1300 in the assembly of semiconductor components. There was a view that unreasonable trade union demands for increase wages was the reason Intel migrated to its Puerto Rico Manufacturing Plant taking some of the Barbadian employees with them.

It was also felt that garment manufacturing declined and eventually became almost nonexistent in Barbados because of the militancy and high wages being demanded by the workers union without an accompanying increase in employee productivity. One former garment manufacturer suggested that the union refused to agree to a proposal submitted by him to introduce piece work for workers at his manufacturing plant. During the 1980s the construction, retail and restaurant sectors also employed more unionized workers when compared to the present. In the 1980s several construction companies negotiated collective agreements with the BWU. This is no longer the case since these industries tend to employ more transient workers.

Other reasons for the decline in union membership is perhaps because of an increase in the number of self-employed persons as well as the establishment of more small and medium sized businesses. Barbados has also seen an increase in migrant workers from the neighboring islands as well as Jamaica and Guyana. These workers are now employed in the retail and construction industries where staff turnover is high making it difficult for a union to organize them within a bargaining unit.

Over the last ten years there have been some restructuring in state owned corporations in  Barbados including the Transport Board, CBC, The Barbados Housing Authority, the National Conservation Authority and others in the private sector which has led to a reduction in union membership. The number of workers employed at the transport board  for instance have declined from about 1500 in the 1970s to under 300 in 2022. The shift in the business model of the board where former drivers now own and operate buses  as well as the establishment of UCAL a company owned and operated by former Board employees have also contributed to the deduction in union membership.

The TB no longer controls the transport sector and any strike action by Board employees will result in an increase in the revenue earned by the private sector vehicles. The union membership at the lone Airport is no longer dominated by the Barbados Workers Union. Employees at that port are members of Unity Workers Union, the NUPW and BWU. Union membership in the retail sector especially supermarkets has decreased significantly. In the 1980s employees at several supermarkets were unionized. Presently only employees at Massy Supermarkets are unionized

Some industrial relations incidences have clearly demonstrated that unions can no longer use the strike weapon as an effective tool to demand increase wages or force employers to influence decisions not made in the interest of union members. Well publicized cases involving Sandy Lane, Royal Shop and others provide such evidence.  

The social partnership in my estimation has done nothing to strengthen the trade union movement. It would appear that social partnership has muzzled, weakened and reduced the powers and effectiveness of trade unions. Some trade union leaders have openly declared preference for and or support the present government and this may therefore determine how they treat with industrial relations issued tabled by their respective membership.

In conclusion it is clear to me that unions on the island are no longer as powerful as they used to be. It is my observation that trade unions in Barbados no longer have the same impact on the country's industrial relations climate as they previously did. There was a time when at least one trade union on the island was so powerful that it could shut down the entire country. They controlled unionized workers in both ports, the Transport Board, The Hotels, The Barbados Water Authority, key sectors in the public service and The Sanitation Services Authority. Those days are gone. There is now no union in Barbados capable of shutting down the entire country.

 

Peter MacD Earle BSc, LLM

Email:peterearlebb@yahoo.co.uk