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Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations, Colin Jordan.

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Yvonne Hall (left), President of the Barbados Employers’ Confederation (BEC), with Sheena Mayers-Granville, BEC Executive Director and others gathered for the seminar.

Employers urged to stamp out violence, harassment in workplace

THE Barbados Government has signalled its commitment to combat the scourge of violence and harassment in the workplace and in the wider world of work, and local employers are being encouraged to do the same.

Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations, Colin Jordan, acknowledged the above, as he delivered the feature address during the Barbados Employers’ Confederation “Violence in the Workplace” Seminar, held yesterday at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel.

“To bolster our efforts to foster sustainable economic growth, we need businesses to be sustainable and competitive and profitable, but this will not be achieved by workers who are affected by workplace violence and harassment. Violence and harassment in the workplace or in the wider world of work has the potential to affect a person’s psychological, physical or sexual health, dignity and family and social environment. We must also be cognisant that violence and harassment can impact productivity. It can actually decrease worker engagement, contribute to a hostile work environment, increase the level of absenteeism and worker turnover, and lead to a poor public image for the employing organisation, in your case, your businesses,” Minister Jordan told those gathered.

“Recognising the link between our workers, our most precious component in our processes and our economic growth and development, we should feel compelled to fervently and actively address any issues that negatively affect them. And I must tell you that it will be a wonderful day when employers, both in the public sector, the private sector and the third sector, take a proactive approach rather than reacting to things like laws and regulations and conventions,” he added.

Jordan further stated, “I’ve taken a special interest in this Convention on Violence and Harassment because this has been an issue which has long plagued our workplaces, often more harassment than violence, but it has plagued our workplaces for a long time and it is now recognised as a health hazard. It is a serious multifaceted problem that affects not only the intended targets, but also colleagues, the entire workforce, it impacts households, it impacts families and therefore, it impacts communities.”

The Labour Minister meanwhile noted that through the introduction of several pieces of labour legislation such as the Employment Sexual Harassment Prevention Act, the Safety and Health at Work Act and the Employment Rights Act, local workplaces have been improved and have been made safer.

He then revealed, “The Ministry has completed work on the Anti-Discrimination Bill, which will speak to the prevention of discrimination in the workplace. This Bill will shortly be submitted to Cabinet for approval, prior to it being laid in Parliament.”

Minister Jordan said that whilst the above-mentioned pieces of legislation touch on aspects of the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Violence and Harassment Convention (No. 190), their intent would not have specifically taken into consideration the broader definition of violence and harassment. As such, Government along with employers, workers and the social partners in general, must now engage in discussion to determine whether the provisions of the Convention are best served by amending existing legislation, or by the introduction of new legislation.

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