Some workers under stress

GENERAL Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) Senator Toni Moore says while COVID-19 has thrown the BWU and workers into what is described as the “new normal”, a one-size-fits-all approach cannot be utilised simply because it is convenient.

Moore, who revealed that she completed her studies in a Human Resources degree, joined with Management of Innovation and New Technologies, saying these are “interesting yet exciting times”. “This is the time that I have been looking for... a time when we can define a new social contract.”

Senator Moore reported however that the situation has been stressful for a number of workers. “There are workers even now as we contemplate opening back up the country in a few days, whether in a phased way or in a total way, there are many workers who are distressed, they are conflicted between understanding that they need to earn a living and wanting to protect their health so those are a number of issues that we are answering.

“On top of addressing the virtual reality that some are required to work from home but they don’t have ergonomics satisfied properly, their devices aren't working well, they have not been trained, some of these employers are finding a difficulty wanting people to work from home, but recognising that they have not even set proper standards or deliverables for people to use as a benchmark that they can deliver work.

“For us it requires us, all the BWU, it requires training people for that new reality. That has to be a big part of it because many workers have been placed in a situation where they have to do, but many of them are struggling as to how to do it.”

Senator Moore noted that employers are also facing challenges as it relates to productivity, against the backdrop of not having a designated physical space for work. “So we have been very busy in meetings with the government at the partnership level. We have been engaged with companies on an individual basis, trying to determine what makes the most sense for them in the situation which for us is very difficult.”

As it relates to the work being carried out by the BWU, Senator Moore said: “In many respects, we are now more in touch with our people, because the recognition of workers is that they don't have to walk into the BWU, but we have been flooded with calls, we set up our hotline, there is access through mobile phones, through the emails, we are doing a lot of zoom meetings. Actually as general secretary, I now feel more in tune in many respects to the pulse of our people because of the reporting daily,” she mused.

“I am hearing from my officers on a daily basis and sometimes in Solidarity House I don't see them once in a week because our times are clashing and so on. But to facilitate it, what makes that possible and what we have to guard against and what we have to be establishing as rules around this new normal is how do we remain connected, how do we remain responsive while also maintaining work-life balance.” (JH)