Peter Earle's WorkPlace Conflicts Blog

 More than 7 years after he was dismissed from the Barbados Workers Union, Mr. Christopher Jordan is yet to find out if his claim of unfair dismissal will be successful. At present he is awaiting a decision from the Employment Rights Tribunal (ERT). Mr. Jordan is being represented by Mr. Caswell Franklyn, while the BWU has a team of about three lawyers as well as the support of the current and a past GS.  Seven years is a long time to wait for anything, and one must first ask why it has taken this long. This long wait is becoming the norm in our judicial system and this case is yet another example of the slow pace at which the wheels of justice grind in Barbados. The Attorney General complained in 2020 about this untenable situation where dismissed employees had to wait years before conciliation meetings could be convened by the labour department. At that time there was a backlog of over 3000 cases. In response to the concern outlined by the AG, The Labour Minister said he was...

  Company Loses $540 Million Because Employee Opened PDF - YouTube

  This is an interesting case which demonstrates a clear lack of knowledge and understanding by the employer about the Employment Rights Act 2012.   The company failed to follow the correct process as required by the ERT. It was operating in the past using very archaic approaches. The facts of the case are as follows: 1.        Mr. Bent was employed by Jada Builders Inc as a Quantity Surveyor for a monthly salary of $10,200. 2.        He was one of two black local employees in the Commercial Department, the other two employees being white expatriates. Their salaries are unknown. 3.        On 8 February 2019, Mr. Bent was summoned to a meeting at which the Commercial Manager, the Chief Personnel Officer and the Human Resources Manager were present. The company asked him to take time off the job without pay because business was slow.   4.        ...

  KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica government on Tuesday announced that maternity leave for public sector workers will increase from 40 days to three calendar months. Finance and Public Service Minister, Dr Nigel Clarke, told a news conference that the government is also moving to provide leave for adoptive parents who are bringing a new child into the home. “We are working to modernise Jamaica public service and modernisation is multifaceted. It includes pursing efficiency and certification. It embraces fairness and equity in compensation. It involves the application of technology to boost access to enhance productivity,” Clarke told reporters, adding “it also embraces changes in terms and conditions that better reflect our values”. Clarke said to give effect to these changes, the “appropriate circular “will be sent out to members of the public service by September 30, noting that the cost of the new leave entitlements will be made public at a later date.. Clarke said that the Andr...

 After the 45-day official notice period expired on Friday, over 460 employees of the Telecommunications Services of TT (TSTT) are now formally let go from the organization. The firing of the employees is a component of TSTT's restructuring, which aims to reduce expenses and keep the company operating in a cutthroat market. The staff received the required 45 days of notice after their last day of employment on June 15. Speaking to Newsday on Saturday, Clyde Elder head of the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) which represents the TSTT workers said, of the 468 retrenched worker, only two were still employed as their retrenchment letters were delivered late.

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  Court: RBC must compensate worker - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday   click here to read the full story

#Nassau, The Bahamas, July 18, 2022 – Approximately 57 members of staff of the Airport Authority in New Providence and 170 in the Family Islands, who are members of the BPSU, did not report to their normal shift on Monday morning, July 18. In a press conference the same morning at the Ministry of Labour, Minister of Labour and Immigration the Hon. Keith Bell said: The management of the Airport Authority has in their possession a copy of a voice note from Mr. Kimsley Ferguson, President of the BPSU wherein he appears to have instructed members of the BPSU that are employed at the Airport Authority, to go to the Doctor and obtain sick certificates for 5 days and “Lock The Place Down”. At 8:12 am this morning, Mr. Ferguson was advised by the Director of Labour Robert Farquharson that the matter regarding the Trade Dispute on outstanding payments owed to the members of the BPSU employed by the Airport Authority was referred to the Industrial Tribunal and as such any industrial action, incl...

Ryan Daws reports that Over 40,000 BT employees will strike at the end of July in protest over below-inflation pay increases, according to a telecoms union. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) issued a warning earlier this month, stating that unless BT made a stronger offer, it would move forward with its plans to strike over a "poor, disrespectful" compensation proposal.BT promised its staff a wage raise of £1,500. It has been called a "severe real-terms salary drop" and does not assist employees in coping with the cost of living problem because RPI inflation levels have reached 11.7 percent. Earlier this month, CWU General Secretary Dave Ward declared: "Our members, and working people in general, have had enough. We will not permit employees to utilize food banks while executives use Swiss banks." People won't continue to work more and harder for less and less forever, despite the fact that the system is unjust and intolerable. According to reports...