Over 20 000 people turned out yesterday for the joint trade union-private sector march.

Over 20 000 people turned out yesterday for the joint trade union-private sector march.

Mission accomplished

Over 20 000 people turned out yesterday for the joint trade union-private sector march, led by the island’s four main trade unions and the Barbados Private Sector Association.

Official estimates given to The Barbados Advocate by the Royal Barbados Police Force, placed the number at 21 000 at the end of the march, which got underway from Queen’s Park after 10:30 a.m., and proceeded through the island’s capital of Bridgetown, with a number of symbolic stops being made along Broad Street and in front of the Parliament Buildings.

Several businesses in the private sector closed their doors until about 1 p.m., to allow workers to attend the march and workers from both the public and private sector used that opportunity to turn out in their numbers, armed with placards, to show their support for the unions’ call to reverse or reduce the National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL) and the private sector’s call for further dialogue on the matter.

General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), Toni Moore, President of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT), Pedro Shepherd, President of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), Akanni McDowall and President of the Barbados Secondary Teachers Union (BSTU), Mary Redman, along with Chairman of the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA), Charles Herbert, rallied their members from Queen’s Park, urging them to embark on a peaceful protest, while stressing throughout that there was no political agenda, where the march was concerned.

“This morning, I would like to encourage you not to be distracted from the reasons why we are here. This is not about any political agenda. This is about an issue that has been clearly identified over the past few weeks. We certainly do not have to remind you, the fact that you are here means you have understood clearly the message” CEO of the BPSA, Anne Reid told those gathered, after offering up prayers at the start.

BWU General Secretary, Toni Moore encouraged participants to follow all orders given by the RBPF. She then sought to dismiss any notion that the day’s events were designed to cause any “social unrest”.

Meanwhile, NUPW President Akanni McDowall was quite vocal about the alliance between the unions and the private sector.

“We are gathered here today to make sure that we demonstrate our disgust with the way that the government has been running its affairs. We have been constantly asking for dialogue. Unfortunately, the government has not acquiesced to those requests for dialogue and therefore we are here to demonstrate that that is not acceptable” he stressed.

“Regardless of how many times they would have met before, the point is, that the partners are uncomfortable now, so you have to take steps to do whatever is necessary, to bring this to some amicable solution” McDowall said.

Pressed about the next steps, given that Government may not be backing down from full implementation of the NSRL, Toni Moore would only say that the unions are “taking it one day at a time” and focusing on the immediate task at hand. (RSM)

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