By Robert Andre Emmanuel
The sweltering heat of the early Monday morning did little to cool the intensity of the speeches by leaders at the Antigua and Barbuda Worker’s Union (ABWU) during the Labour Day celebrations yesterday.
The annual speech and march took its start once again at the ABWU’s headquarters on Lower Newgate Street with exhortations from President of the Union, Kem Riley who emphasized the vitality of the worker, and solidarity and unity to address labour relations issues that affect Antigua and Barbuda.
“It is time for workers to show solidarity and to advocate for fair treatment, demanding respect and to uphold their dignity within the workforce so that we can achieve a healthy working environment.
“Labour Day serves as a reminder of the importance of workers’ rights and to highlight the ongoing struggles for social and economic justice for all,” Riley remarked.
Riley said that workers need to stay united to break down the barriers of inequality and discrimination and address worker safety and health.
“By promoting social justice and decent work for all, we will not only improve the livelihoods and well-being of all individuals, but we will also create a more inclusive and sustainable society for future generations,” Riley added.
General Secretary of the ABWU, Senator David Massiah focused a majority of his speech on LIAT and the Prime Minister’s offer to former LIAT workers. Senator Massiah said that workers deserve better from their political leaders.
“Gaston Brown continues to sit down and say that the workers of LIAT (1974) Ltd must take whatever he gives them, and he has no time to negotiate.
“But when you look at the people in Barbados, the Mia Mottley government ensured that the workers received all that is theirs.
“And look at the Prime Minister of St. Lucia, he ensured that his workers also got [what is theirs] and he is now saying that he wants to be part of the LIAT 2020.
“They did not get 20% or 30%; they got 100% of what is theirs and so why should the people in Antigua only accept 32 percent?”
Head of the ABWU Women’s Council and 1st Vice President of the ABWU, Hazel Luke shared a passionate plea for an increased focus and commitment to female workers, who face the challenge of the “Three M’s—maternity, menstruation, and menopause.”
“Mothers [are] returning to conditions of work that do not allow any space for the lactating mothers or policies in place to ease the stress of the mother, who must balance the financial needs of her family; returning to work when a child is 6 weeks old or 13 weeks old is a psychological challenge, especially for the female who does not have extended family or the means to hire a babysitter,” Luke explained.
Deputy General Secretary Chester Hughes spoke about the impact of artificial intelligence on the future of workers and labour relations.
“Antigua and Barbuda, the world is changing so we have to be prepared for the future; artificial intelligence today has taken over the world but while we look at artificial intelligence, we must also look at the issues which affect the ordinary worker today,” he expressed.