BWU Engages C.O. Williams Construction Over Potential Layoffs

The Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) says it is actively engaging C.O. Williams Construction after the company indicated that about 30 workers could be made redundant later this month, as concerns grow over the impact of the layoffs on employees and the wider construction sector.

In a statement, the BWU said it has been formally involved in discussions with the company on its intention to make workers redundant shortly after June 12.

“The union does not treat any redundancy exercise as a routine administrative matter. Behind every name on a list is a worker, a household and a set of obligations that cannot be reduced to figures on a page. Our immediate priority is to protect the dignity, rights and entitlements of the affected workers and to ensure that no worker is unfairly treated in the process,” the BWU stated.

It noted that C.O. Williams had linked the proposed layoffs to business pressures, including the loss of contracts and challenges within the wider construction industry.

“While those explanations are for the company to advance, the union has made it clear that workers must not be asked to carry the full burden of conditions they did not create. The union has sought to engage in meaningful consultation, to receive justified evidence on the basis for proposed redundancies, to ensure fair and objective selection.”

It warned that the issue raises broader concerns about the future of the construction industry and the need to protect employers who maintain proper labour standards.

“Responsible employers who invest in proper wages, training, safety and decent working conditions must not be forced to compete with contractors who cut corners and drive down standards. Barbados needs a construction industry that values skill, experience and decent work,” the statement added.

Former president of the C.O. Williams Construction division of the BWU, Ricardo Payne, said the development was not entirely unexpected given the large number of workers recruited when the company anticipated significant projects.

Wider crisis

“To be honest, we took on a lot of people in 2023 because there was a lot of work expected to come on stream. The understanding at the time was that there would be a substantial amount of projects available and the company hired based on those expectations. Those are the people who are now being affected, particularly many of the labourers and general workers,” he said.

“At the end of the day, if the work does not materialise at the level that was anticipated, the company still has to manage its operations. From my understanding, that is one of the factors behind what is happening now.”