Peter Earle's WorkPlace Conflicts Blog

   Peter MacD Earle BSc, LLM Employment Law Leicester De Montfort Law School Effective June 1, 2025, Barbados will implement a new minimum wage of $420 per week, a 23.5% increase from the current $340. In addition, legislation proposes an automatic 2% annual wage increase starting in January 2026. But beneath this progressive façade lies a stark, structural truth: Barbados has neither the machinery to enforce the law nor the political will to protect the most vulnerable. While this policy signals social justice on paper, in practice it could collapse under its own contradictions—and set workers, employers, and the economy up for failure. ________________________________________ The Illusion of Legal Protection While the government trumpets the wage hike as a win for working-class families, Barbados remains woefully unequipped to enforce the new standard. Consider: • Thousands of workers never received the current $340 minimum wage. • Many will not receive the new $420 rate...

  Introduction The ongoing Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) sickout, now in its second day, has sparked intense debate about teachers’ rights, government priorities, and the role of unions in protecting labour benefits. While the BUT insists that its actions are a necessary response to unresolved grievances, the Minister of Educational Transformation has accused the union of playing politics. However, history and logic suggest otherwise. Unions rarely relinquish hard-won benefits, and the origins of term leave in Barbados reveal its deep roots in the island’s colonial past. Moreover, the government’s claim of budgetary constraints rings hollow when juxtaposed with instances of wasteful spending in less critical areas. Amidst the tension, a senior official from the Ministry of Education has acknowledged that that ministry supports term leave is a reasonable and necessary benefit for teachers, but emphasized that ongoing negotiations are needed to reach a practical agreement. This ac...

Case Summary: De Bank Haycocks v ADP RPO UK Ltd (Employment Appeal Tribunal) This UK case offers an important lesson for HR professionals and business owners—both in the UK and jurisdictions like Barbados—about the legal requirements surrounding redundancy. Specifically, it highlights the critical importance of consulting employees at an early or formative stage, before any final decisions are made. ________________________________________ Facts of the Case Mr. De Bank Haycocks was a recruitment consultant employed by ADP in the UK, working in a team of 16 for a single client. When the client's demand for recruitment services dropped due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, ADP decided by May 2020 that redundancies were necessary. Following a directive from its US parent company, ADP assessed all 16 employees against subjective selection criteria. Mr. De Bank Haycocks received the lowest score. On 30 June 2020, he was invited to a consultation meeting where he was informed of th...

Recently, a caller on Barbados’ popular radio show Brass Tacks cried out in frustration: “I can’t sleep, man! I’m breathing it in all night long!” The source of his distress? The pungent, inescapable odor from a nearby medicinal cannabis facility. While many celebrate the economic promise of Barbados’ emerging cannabis industry, this haunting testimony exposes a deeper issue — are we ignoring the very real threats to worker health, public safety, and societal well-being in the rush to cash in on "green gold"? ________________________________________ 🌿 An Industry with Promise — and Peril With hopes pinned on medicinal cannabis to spark post-pandemic recovery, the Barbadian government has laid the regulatory groundwork for a potentially lucrative sector. If banking barriers are resolved, the industry could: • Create jobs in farming, distribution, research, and compliance • Open international export markets • Provide farmers and entrepreneurs new streams of income But be...

  For decades, whispers of racial discrimination in workplaces across Barbados have persisted. But what was once discussed in hushed tones is now being exposed, revealing shocking pay disparities, favoritism, and secret financial dealings that have left many Black workers earning significantly less than their white, asian and expatriate counterparts. Despite the enactment of the Employment (Prevention of Discrimination) Act in 2020, many of these practices continue, highlighting the challenges of enforcing workplace equality. Historical and Ongoing Racial Pay Disparities Hidden Inequities In the 1980s, an employee at a well-known firm in Bridgetown stumbled upon payroll documents revealing that Black employees were earning significantly less than white and expatriate workers, even when holding equal or superior qualifications and work experience. The discrimination didn’t stop at pay—Black employees were deliberately excluded from a special department that exclusively handled white...

  Lelon Saul’s tenure as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) became one of the most debated employment cases in Guyana's recent history. Saul, who was appointed in June 2017 on a three-year contract, found his professional journey abruptly derailed in 2020, sparking a legal battle that highlighted the importance of respecting contractual terms and due process in the workplace. What Constitutes Wrongful Termination in Guyana? Wrongful termination, also known as wrongful dismissal, occurs when an employee is dismissed in violation of their employment contract or in breach of established labour laws. In Guyana, wrongful termination is determined based on the following key principles: 1. Breach of Contract: If an employee is terminated before the agreed contract period without valid legal justification, it is considered wrongful termination. 2. Lack of Due Process: Employers must follow established procedures for dismissals, inc...

  In a dramatic escalation of their fight for justice, Vincentian workers dismissed for refusing to take the controversial COVID-19 vaccine are preparing to take their case to the Privy Council. This decision was announced in late February 2025, in a joint press conference held by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers’ Union and the Public Service Union, just days after the Court of Appeal overturned a previous ruling by Justice Esco Henry. Henry had initially deemed the mandate unconstitutional, unlawful, and procedurally improper, offering a significant victory to the affected workers. However, the Court of Appeal’s reversal has reignited their determination to seek redress at the highest level. The government, led by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, has refused to reinstate the dismissed employees. Instead, Gonsalves has urged them to reapply for their positions, promising to restore their benefits—but not their lost salaries dating back to December 2021. This stance, w...