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Workers at the Portvale Sugar Factory are back on the job, but General Secretary of the Unity Workers’ Union (UWU), Caswell Franklyn, has signalled his intention to intensify industrial action.
He says he will not yet say when and how this action will take place.
This follows dozens of workers at the Blowers, St James factory walking off the job on Wednesday over the failure to recognise the UWU, and claims of unfavourable working conditions among other outstanding issues.
The Barbados Energy and Sugar Company Inc. (BESCO), which recognises the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), said yesterday that the approximately 38 employees called off the job by the UWU engaged in a wildcat strike.
BESCO maintained that the compensation model it uses has been the standard in the industry for decades and was negotiated with the BWU.
But Mr Franklyn is challenging BESCO’s position and warned the union will respond accordingly.
He is adamant that his union deserves to be recognised as the bargaining agent for the factory workers, as the majority of them are UWU members.
He says he does not intend to back down from the fight for workers, even if it means escalating industrial action.
