BWU meets with GAIA shop stewards

THE Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) is refocusing their attention on the issues affecting staff at the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) Inc.

 

On Tuesday, Deputy General Secretary of the BWU, Dwayne Paul, met with GAIA shop stewards from different divisions at Solidarity House to discuss some of the challenges being faced.

 

Speaking to The Barbados Advocate prior to the meeting, Paul said, “All is not well at our airport,” while highlighting some of the areas to come under the microscope.

 

“The Union is aware that we have a number of challenges at the airport, ranging from health and safety matters to matters related to the terms and conditions of employment. [Also] unilateral changes to the terms of the employment, from exploitation on behalf of some of the, for example, handling companies of workers. So we are discussing the matters, then we will be responding to the issues that are presented to us. Those we are aware of and those that are raised, including some of the matters relating to even issues of security.”

 

He added that some of the issues “have gone unaddressed by the relevant administrators, whether it is persons in the private sector that would own the operations or whether it relates to matters coming under the purview of GAIA Inc. We believe that if we are really going to continue to develop and build that the issues at that facility need to be addressed to enable people to give of their optimum”.

 

When asked about possible next steps to follow the meeting, the BWU Deputy General Secretary would only say “stay tune”. (MG)