A&BUT apologises to Christ the King High School board

The Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers (A&BUT) has issued a public apology to the board of directors of the Christ the King High School five months after it had criticised the institution for failing to honour an agreement to provide paternity leave.
“I want to put the board on notice, in particular, the Board of the Christ the King High School, that when we negotiate a contract for our teachers to provide the necessary benefits that you ensure they get it because we are coming after you,” President of the union Ashworth Azille said on May 25 during his State of the Union address at the union’s Annual Delegates Conference.
He added: ”When we negotiate for paternity leave for our fathers, this is recognising that the man must play a critical role in the life of his child and the mother of that child. So, it is not your place to deny them that right.”
However, in a media release on the weekend, the union’s president said, “following further investigation into the allegations, my criticisms of the Board’s handling of the matter proved to be unjustified and therefore preemptive.”
According to him, it was in this regard, that “I offer an unequivocal apology to the management of the Christ the King High School for any reputational damage that may have been incurred as a result of my statement.”
He said the union remains committed to working collaboratively with the Board of the Christ the King High School, and all other private schools to ensure that the welfare of all teachers is safeguarded. 
Meantime, Chairman of the Board of the Christ the King High School, Joan Underwood, said she welcomes the apology.
She said from the onset the union had no base on which to launch “the vicious attack” on the school.
“It is late, but I am glad that they have finally acknowledged that they are wrong and have extended an apology. I hope going forward, that in the spirit of good industrial relations, that we can speak to each other instead of speaking [about] each other,” Underwood said.
The apology came after the school’s board filed an official complaint with the labour commissioner.
The parties met in September 2017 and it was decided that the union would issue a public apology to the school.