News

After 16 years of working according to the Social Protocol for labour relations in Barbados and behaving as a relatively responsible employer, Cable and Wireless arbitrarily decided a few weeks ago to dismiss 25% of its staff.



On 2 September, UNI Global Union wrote to the CEO of Cable and Wireless plc in the UK to protest the termination of employment for around 100 workers in Barbados.



The company had served dismissal letters on staff without prior discussion, without any reasonable or logical basis for dismissal and without regard for the terms of the existing collective agreement.



Following communications from UNI and campaigning by the local union, Cable and Wireless agreed to withdraw the terminations. The employees returned to work this week on 14 September. However, the company has not agreed to keep the workers in their jobs for the long term, only to comply with the proper dismissal / redundancy process according to law and the collective agreement.



Today, the Cable and Wireless unions from throughout the Caribbean region will be meeting in Barbados, with their employer, to discuss the issue of redundancies and the business' future.