NUPW: Strain on workers

General Secretary of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), Richard Green, has raised concerns over the concurrent transitions of multiple state-run entities, emphasising the pace and volume of these changes were placing strain on both public sector workers and the union.

Speaking with the DAILY NATION, Green highlighted the union’s challenges in addressing issues of importance to workers during significant changes in structure, governance and administration at their workplaces.

“Our main concern now is the number of transitions that are occurring at the same time. Currently, we’re dealing with about five of them,” Green said, pointing to what he described as an “unprecedented” rate of transformation in the public sector. He noted that the union’s members voiced growing anxiety as these shifts progressed without a consistent and clearly communicated road map.

Green specifically identified several transitions, including the mergers in the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs.

“We’re dealing with the amalgamation of the social care services, which will combine the Welfare Department, National Disability Unit, and the National Assistance Board,” he explained. Each agency provides essential services to the public, and Green underscored the importance of protecting workers’ rights and benefits as they moved into these new, integrated structures.

Further, the merging of the National Petroleum Corporation and the Barbados National Oil Company (BNOC) added to the workload, with both organisations facing restructuring that would impact workers. In addition, the Barbados Investment & Development Corporation (BIDC) is undergoing significant reform, and the Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO) is transitioning to the new Business Barbados entity. According to Green, these initiatives are at various stages, with some nearing completion and others still in the preliminary phases of drafting legislation.

The NUPW is actively involved in reviewing draft legislation to ensure workers’ protections are included.

“When they start and stop, it impacts the workers,” he said. “Workers are fearful of the process and get anxious. In the absence of clear information, the rumour mill starts,” Green added, noting it was challenging for the NUPW to provide timely guidance to members when these transitions were in flux.

The union leader suggested if assistance could be increased for agencies supporting these transitions, it would alleviate some of the bottlenecks.

“What we would want is for the Government to provide more support to the principal agencies, like the Ministry of Public Service, which could use more resources to assist in the process,” Green said. “The departments responsible for drafting legislation are currently inundated due to the high volume of transitions happening simultaneously.”

Green also expressed a desire for a more strategic approach to the transitions, given the compressed timeline and complex nature of each change.

“In the past, transitions were spaced out over years,” he said, reflecting on how gradual change had allowed for smoother adjustments and lessened anxiety among workers. “We would like to see a better road map for transitioning these departments at this time.”

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