BWU not pleased with Budget

The Budget presented by Finance Minister, Christopher Sinckler earlier this week has come in for heavy criticism from one of the island’s leading trade unions.

In a statement issued on Thursday, General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), Toni Moore, said that while the BWU recognises the “preoccupation” of the Minister of Finance in bridging the fiscal deficit, there was absolutely nothing in Tuesday’s Budget that would act as an incentive for workers to make an appropriate contribution, or for business to maintain the levels of employment and contribution, necessary to rebuild the economy, especially in the current circumstances.

She made the point while indicating that at the last full meeting of the Social Partnership, the BWU reiterated the need for equal distribution of pain and gain.

“The BWU is also concerned that beyond the further dampening effects that will come to middle class families; the Budget offers no safety nets for the most vulnerable in our society, including those in the public sector. Very glaring therefore, was the absence of any attempt to restore public sector workers, even through measures strategically and carefully designed to increase productivity and grant rewards for such,” the union boss stated.

Moore went on to explain that her union is concerned by the level of taxation that has been presented. She suggested it is designed to “bridge the gap in one fell swoop” and is likely in doing so, to impose greater hardship than can be predicted. Contending then that the task of managing a deficit is nothing new to Barbados, the BWU General Secretary expressed disappointment that greater care was not given to considering the social implications of the proposed measures, the losses which they portend for business earnings, the further erosion of living standards in Barbados and ultimately the impact on the purchasing power of the entire country.

“The presentation raises again concern about the level of trust that can be placed in Government as a leader in the Social Partnership. Besides leadership, the success of the Social Partnership as a vehicle, has always depended strongly upon planning, upon consensus and a willingness of the Social Partners and Government to seize important moments. The Barbados Workers’ Union continues to lament that the Government missed key opportunities early enough in the crisis, to foster cooperation towards ensuring that we were better off post-crisis,” she said.

To that end, she said the BWU is “very wary” of the approach taken to the Budget and is adamant that the Budget with references to recommendations, which are yet to be presented to and debated by the full Social Partnership, removes the likelihood that trust would be easily restored. (JRT)