Barbados Workers’ Union Calls for Ministry of Labour Investigation into Alleged Employment Violations at Christ Church Hotel

The Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) is calling on the Ministry of Labour to launch a full-scale investigation into allegations that a Christ Church hotel has engaged the services of several workers without contracts.

General secretary of the BWU, Toni Moore, yesterday expressed outrage at these reports, highlighting the urgent need for action.

“It has come to our attention that following recent layoffs, several individuals have been re-engaged without contracts, allegedly paid in cash under exploitative terms that defy both legal and ethical standards,” Moore said.

She said the union was “utterly shocked and appalled” by the ongoing situation.

“After being told by the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) that we should be quiet and accept layoffs as a norm in the hotel industry, we have now been informed of an even more disturbing reality. After sending home workers across several departments of the hotel, at least 18 individuals have since been engaged and are currently working in the housekeeping department without contracts. These workers are allegedly being paid in cash, with no pay slips or written contracts provided, under a degrading arrangement of $400 per week and are being called casuals,” the BWU boss claimed.

“Under normal practice in the hotel industry, casuals are hired during high season, not as replacements for permanent workers who have been laid off,” she added.

Meanwhile, other workers were reportedly being referred to as “selfcontractors” in the laundry and project departments and were subject to the same oppressive conditions.

“These workers reportedly have no control over their hours or terms of employment, yet are being called contractors – another appalling violation of what should be fair and transparent working conditions,” Moore claimed.

According to the BWU, the situation was no longer just about industry norms or seasonal layoffs.

“This comes at a time when we have received reports that the hotel is allegedly operating at 90 per cent occupancy. If this is true, the company may be short of their regard for decent work but is definitely not short of guests. If the allegations are true, [the hotel] is creating a class of ‘casuals’ that

is underpaid and without protection, while reaping massive benefits from Government support and high tourist occupancy,” Moore, the MP for St George South, asserted.

Hospitality industry