The Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union is deeply concerned over the sudden and permanent closure of Costpro Supermarket and the immediate impact this development has had upon the livelihoods of over 100 employees.
On Friday morning, General Secretary David Massiah and a team of Union officers met with the displaced workers at the Union’s Freedom Hall Headquarters to discuss their rights and entitlements arising from the redundancy, and the support the Union will provide throughout the process.
The Union assures the former employees that it will pursue every available avenue, including action before the courts, to ensure the employer honours all statutory obligations, including severance pay, notice pay, outstanding vacation pay, and any other benefits to which the workers are legally entitled.
Affected employees have also been advised to gather their letters of employment, pay slips, and other relevant employment records to facilitate the accurate calculation of their severance and other entitlements.
The Union also wishes to underscore that the closure of Costpro, once again exposes the urgent need for the Government to implement Severance Protection Legislation in Antigua and Barbuda. Such a mechanism would establish a fund to safeguard employees’ entitlements.
Had this been in place, as we have been advocating for several years, the affected employees of Costpro would not be facing uncertainty over the payment of benefits they have earned through years of service.
We have seen this situation before with the Jolly Beach Resort, LIAT (1974) Ltd and Tranquility Bay. Cost Pro workers should not have to relive it.
The existing legislative framework does not provide sufficient protection for employees’ earned benefits when companies become insolvent or discontinue operations. Workers should never have to wonder whether they will receive the severance to which they are legally entitled.
The ABWU will continue to stand with the former employees of Costpro Supermarket until every outstanding entitlement has been paid in full.
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If you are in bankrupcy., means you don’t have money to paid anything. Union can present a formal claim against who? A bussines that is saying outloud don’t have money?
It doesn’t matter if you send for 1, 2 or 3 years to jail a owner.. That doesn’t gonna produce money to cover all workers severance. Is sad, but is facts.
This is a clear message when owners don’t put enoung attention to their bussiness, also for workers who DON’T CARE about the place they are being employed. Nobody is the winner.
Lmfao. If you dont know anything best thing to do is be quiet. Do you know that the same owners that act exactly like this hace their money and would underpay their staff just to fit their pockets(the owners) do you know that???? The Abwu have been doing an incredible job once they see the employees are fit to go forward with every single outcome which is within the rights of the staff. Yall think yall work place really care bout all you??? They just want they work done and you say yes mam yes sir. They tell you jump you ask how high.If yall sit down and study alot of yall have been underpaid and most persons that own their business is actually doing better than most of you Government workers even certain hotels doing better than most of yall when it comes to salary. So again think before you write. Mr. Prime Minister step in on this one like you did with Liat workers which i think it was a certain percentage and likewise you did with Jolly Beach.
@ Despicable
I don’t agree with you.
Workers are paid on industry standard and I am sure that if you check across the board that they are paid a fair wage for their job descriptions. It doesn’t matter if you do the job poorly or well. This is what the job pays take it or leave it. If you want more money, then you apply for another role or you seek employment elsewhere. Workers cannot cry that they are being underpaid when they were told what the salary was when they applied for the job. They accepted the terms. Then again….no worker is EVER going to say that they are being paid enough…..that will NEVER be heard hahahaha.
Another common misconception is that you are going to get rich as an employee working for someone. It will never happen solely for the reason that the business owner started the business for his/her enrichment; not the employee’s. I hire you to work for me so that my business can be successful and make me money. I pay you a salary to make that happen. It was my investment/risk via direct cash injection or bank loan that started business.
So no, the employer isn’t tricking you. You knew the terms of the employment, accepted it, and then signed the contract.
If you don’t want to “say yes mam yes sir. They tell you jump you ask how high”, then start your own business and go work for yourself.
Someone help me out here……
Does Antigua not have Severance Protection Legislation?
I was able to locate this: Antigua and Barbuda Labour Code (Cap. 27), specifically Sections C40–C44, which deal with severance pay.
The section states: The Labour Code provides a minimum entitlement of: One day’s pay at the employee’s latest basic wage for each month (or major fraction of a month) worked.
In practical terms, that’s roughly equivalent to one month’s wages for every year of service.
Am I getting this wrong? What is the Union talking about when they said: “The Union also wishes to underscore that the closure of Costpro, once again exposes the urgent need for the Government to implement Severance Protection Legislation in Antigua and Barbuda.”
Or are they specifically referring to a “Severance Fund”?
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