Trust critical

POLITICAL Consultant and Director of CADRES, Peter Wickham, suggested that trust is a critical phenomenon in the relationship between members of the union and employers and members of the union and their union.

Wickham posited, during the keynote address at the start of the 42nd Annual General Conference, that over the last 3 years, the trust has been broken between the people of Barbados and the Government of Barbados. Essentially, in traversing the English-speaking Caribbean, Wickham stated that he has not seen a breakdown of trust between the two of the same magnitude anywhere else in the region as the one that exists here.

A few years ago, Barbados was regarded as having one of the best run Governments in the English-speaking Caribbean by Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. According to Wickham this acclaim was made because there was great trust between the people of Barbados and their Government, when they agreed on a salary cut in the 1990’s.

Moreover, Wickham told those present that the Barbados Union of Teachers cannot be held responsible for the lack of trust that exists between the governed and the Government, but rest assured that they can be held responsible for the breakdown in trust between itself and its members. Wickham explained that this trust was first displaced when the union was unable to  stop the salary cut of the 1990s. Wickham admonished that should something like that arise again, the union must be ready.

Furthermore, Wickham stated that the union would be abandoning its members if it does not hold Government to its word, and it will be difficult to get young people to join if this is the case. In hinting that the diplomatic approach that the BUT’s president is adopting may be inadequate, Wickham said that the swift pace of the union needs to be maintained, as this helps to determine which unions are oppressed and which are respected.

In posing suggestions in ways to take the union forward, Wickham mentioned weighing in on the issues that confront teachers at all levels to see how their professionalism and working conditions may be improved.  Added to that, he stated that if the Minister of Finance, Christopher Sinckler’s reports are true that the economy is growing, discussions of salary increases should be on the table.

Lastly, Wickham touched on the “educational ghettoes” that teachers are expected to function in. He proposed that due to the banning of corporal punishment, alternative and effective means of discipline should be introduced in the schools.