ABWU Condemns PM Browne’s Union Busting Threats in LIAT Severance Matter
St John’s, Antigua, 25 April 2024 — The Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union takes note of Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s most recent statements regarding the LIAT 1974 severance matter. Browne continues his attempts to undermine the Union’s role and disregard the workers’ rights to representation and collective bargaining.
This protracted severance battle waged against the workers by the Prime Minister has exposed the fundamental issue at play: that the Prime Minister does not accept that severance is a fundamental right for all workers and that workers and their representatives must have a say in determining a reasonable settlement.
Moreover, this is not a political issue as the Prime Minister has tried to portray it to the workers and the public. Our mandate as a Union is to protect and defend the rights of our members irrespective of which political party forms the Government. There is no doubt that the Prime Minister understands this very well, but in the absence of any reasonable argument as to why the workers’ severance is not a priority for his Government, he has no choice but to deflect and attempt to reduce this matter to a political squabble.
It is beyond shameful that the Prime Minister of what is supposed to be a modern, progressive and democratic country, would blatantly announce via the airwaves his union busting attempts to completely disregard the workers’ legally recognised bargaining agent. Nowhere in the free world is such behavior tolerated, and we will NOT accept it here in Antigua and Barbuda. Every progressive society is one where workers’ rights are protected and Unions are seen as partners in development and not “impediments” as the Prime Minister described in his statements.
As such, his statements are totally unacceptable and do not respect the International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards. We remind the Prime Minister that ILO convention No. 98 of 1949 asserts and protects the workers’ Right to Organise and to Collective Bargaining.
Again, the Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union has no political gripe with the Prime Minister. What we take issue with is his fundamentally warped view of workers’ rights. We insist that workers and their representatives must be respected and consulted, and severance is a fundamental right.
Prime Minister Browne continues to bully the workers of LIAT into accepting a significantly reduced offer of 32% of severance down from 50%. Where is the reasonableness in this offer? Since neither the Government nor the Court Appointed Administrator was willing to entertain any discussions with the Union, it is no surprise that they have arrived at such a ridiculous and insulting proposal. It further baffles the mind to think that the Prime Minister believes that he could somehow dupe the workers into accepting this offer by “negotiating directly” with them. What the Prime Minister fails to recognise is that these very workers with whom he wishes to “negotiate directly” are themselves the Union. The Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union is not an entity that is separate and apart from the workers. Our voice is in fact the voice of the workers; the position we articulate is the position of the workers: that they have a right to 100% severance or a reduced settlement that is mutually agreed upon.
While not surprising, it is somewhat disappointing that the Prime Minister would have spewed such nauseating rhetoric on the heels of Labour Day, a day when workers reflect on and celebrate their contributions to society. It should also be a time when our partners in labour relations — Governments and Employers — acknowledge the progress we’ve made as a society through dialogue and mutual respect. Instead, Prime Minister Browne would wish to use this occasion to intimidate workers and undermine unionism. But we are not dismayed! We assert that the former and current staff of Liat 1974 Ltd still have a right to their severance! No act of the legislature or ill-will on the part of any individual can suspend that right. We again call for dialogue and respect as prerequisites to bringing closure to this matter, even as we anticipate a new era of regional travel.
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Not even the court appointed receiver took you guys on. You wrote several letters trying to get him to meet and respond to you but to no avail. You guys are much too late and have led your members down the wrong road. Now LIAT 1974 is folding up and nothing would be left for the employees to get. You had an offer of 50% from the Antigua and Barbuda Government and you encouraged your member not to take it. Now look where they are. Left with an empty bag. I don’t know why the Prime Minister still feels he has an obligation to pay them 32%. That is a lot of tax payers’ money. I don’t remember flying for free on LIAT. I paid all my fares. The fact that the company went bankrupt has nothing to do with the taxpayers’ monies.
Does the Alfa Nero have anything to do with the taxpayers of Antigua and Barbuda? You are very mum on that.
Stupid the Alpha Nero was aquired with the intention to sell it. And that has not change. We will eventually get back every dime we place in it. The legal process is just frustrating it. I guess you didn’t want the government to protect the harbour and take the ship to a saver place. That would be reckless if that were to happen. Government was a shareholder in LIAT and it went bankcrupt. So they owe the staff not a dime more then the Assets of the LIAT can afford to pay out. That is why the receiver will determine what is left if the Assets after they have liquidated all of LIAT. And that will be a very long process. Check what happened to other companies that went in liquidation. LIAT is not the first. Half Moon Bay Emplees waited for many years. And even when they got some monies they didn’t get all their severance. Some even died before. The only one that won was the Union taking out their negotiation fees of 10%. That is exactly what they will do with the LIAT workers. And they did that with the Jolly Beach workers as well. And don’t forget the lawyers that will come in to play with their fees. The staff is doomed.
Less you forget, until some human beings have felt the pain of this issue, they should really just hush
There was an initial 50% offer… which was rejected ! The government say it has no legal obligation to pay severance. Did the union address that claim from the government? If not the government then who?
Corporate Law is clear. Shareholders are not responsible for the liability of the company. They will only lose the value of their shares. That is the risk of being a shareholder.
And not only the Antiguan and Barbudan Government has stated that but all the other shareholders have said the same thing. All talk about a compasionate offer.
What WE don’t understand is that when a company goes bankrupt and starts over, you’re not owed anything. Liat 2020 is a new company and new books. They owe nothing, no matter how much complaining. It’s a horrible reality and I feel for the old stagf. Our government at work…
Bankruptcy is just the term the government is using not to pay the former staff. Do you remember the ‘hair cut’ the staff were asked to take. This was to allow for LIAT 2020. Do you recall that first the 50% was on everything owed to the staff and then the PM went back on his words. The staff were held at ransom. They were given no opportunity to seek alternate employment instead they were given threats of getting no severance payment. They went months without a salary and by law after 3 months without a salary an employee can leave. But in LIAT’S case they couldn’t because they were afraid of losing everything. Yet still they lost because the PM changed the law during that time to suit his behavior. 50% huh. A combination of Cash, Bond, Land. Government Bond has no value at this time. The cash so minimal can’t purchase a loaf of bread, the Land may have been ideal but it was never the PM^s intention. Now one asked about tax payers money. Weren’t the former staff tax payers. So it is ok for the tax payers money to enriched the government and their families. What about the former staff that ate up to this day suffering. Rhat about the staff that can’t pay the debts, what about the Stagg that can’t pay their mortgage what about the staff that can’t afford medical attention. WHAT ABOUT THEM.
Bankruptcy is just the term the government is using not to pay the former staff. Do you remember the ‘hair cut’ the staff were asked to take. This was to allow for LIAT 2020. Do you recall that first the 50% was on everything owed to the staff and then the PM went back on his words. The staff were held at ransom. They were given no opportunity to seek alternate employment instead they were given threats of getting no severance payment. They went months without a salary and by law after 3 months without a salary an employee can leave. But in LIAT’S case they couldn’t because they were afraid of losing everything. Yet still they lost because the PM changed the law during that time to suit his behavior. 50% huh. A combination of Cash, Bond, Land. Government Bond has no value at this time. The cash so minimal can’t purchase a loaf of bread, the Land may have been ideal but it was never the PM^s intention. Now one asked about tax payers money. Weren’t the former staff tax payers. So it is ok for the tax payers money to enriched the government and their families. What about the former staff that are up to this day suffering. What about the staff that can’t pay the debts, what about the Staff that can’t pay their mortgage what about the staff that can’t afford medical attention. WHAT ABOUT THEM.
Corporate Law is clear. Shareholders are not responsible for the liability of the company. They will only lose the value of their shares. That is the risk of being a shareholder.
And not only the Antiguan and Barbudan Government has stated that but all the other shareholders have said the same thing. All talk about a compassionate offer. And that the union want to contest and clearly on political grounds. Cause again the laws governing corporations is very clear.
@less we forget.
Watch your speech young fellow ,and mind what you say, because by your standard, the same thing will happen here with Lait 2020 when it goes belly up, by bad management and a faulty deal.
80mil is invested in Lait 2020 so far, and all we have is 30% share, we are not owner’s.
So I guess you are ok with Gatson Browne just wasting the “tax payers” money in the tune of millions, only to come back later to hide behind some bullshit cooperate law?
What you and others are forgetting with y’all bullshit, is that the government of Antigua is not a cooperation, it’s the people’s money you so eloquently quoted, you fool, so when you and Gatson Browne goes about running y’all mouth and hiding behind y’all bullshit cooperate law, just remember that these “workers” are humans, tax payers, and yes voters..
So you better watch your speech!!!
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