Is the Ministry Contravening the Labour Code

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Friday, 06 July 2012 02:30

By Everton Barnes

Antigua St. John’s - The Antigua Trades and Labour Union (AT&LU), which represents non-established workers, is accusing the Ministry of National Security and Labour of wantonly violating the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Code, a law it administers.

The charge comes from the AT&LU’s Industrial Relations Officer, Ralph Potter, who claims that the ministry has engaged in a practice where several officers from the Immigration Department and Her Majesty’s Prison have been suspended beyond the four-week maximum allowed by the Labour Code.

“This matter is quite vexing as here you have the ministry that principally enforces the Labour Code is itself violating the provisions of this key legislation,” Potter noted.

The Industrial Relations Officer identified a number of cases where officers have been on suspension for over a year.

“This practice has been employed by the ministry repeatedly even after we have held discussions on the matter with senior officials of the Ministry including Labour Minister, Dr. Errol Cort,” he disclosed.

He said some of the officers affected by this policy have since returned to work, but there are others who have remained on suspension with their status in limbo.

Potter explained that a number of the officers were first suspended after the police brought charges against them alleging wrong-doing.

However, the charges were dismissed but the officers’ suspensions have not been lifted. In one case the officer has been suspended for up to three years, while in another, the officer, who has never been charged, remains on suspension for more than a year.

“We have attempted to resolve this matter quietly through negotiations with the ministry officials, but as we have noticed that the practice has continued, we have decided to take the matter public for all to see,” Potter stated.

The union official said he is at a loss to understand why the ministry has refused to allow the concerned officers to return to work, or provide some explanation for its action.

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