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To: President Casroy Charles
Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers (A&BUT)
St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda
Date: May 12, 2025
Subject: Strong Condemnation of Ongoing Strike Action
Dear Mr. Charles,
I write to express in the strongest possible terms my condemnation of the reckless and disruptive strike action being led by the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers (A&BUT) under your leadership.
At a time when the nation’s children are striving to recover from years of educational setbacks caused by the pandemic and other disruptions, your decision to remove teachers from classrooms is not only irresponsible—it is indefensible.
While you claim to be acting in defence of teachers’ rights, your actions are hurting the very students whom our educators are sworn to nurture. You have chosen confrontation over cooperation, disruption over dialogue, and hardship over harmony.
Industrial action must always be a last resort, not a weapon wielded for political gain or in defiance of good-faith efforts to resolve disputes.
The Government has clearly signalled its willingness to address the outstanding matters through engagement and settlement mechanisms.
Instead of honouring that process, your union has opted for a public spectacle that leaves parents distressed, students abandoned, and the education system destabilized.
Let me be clear: no grievance, however legitimate, justifies holding our children’s education hostage. Your continued defiance of reason and responsibility is a betrayal of the public trust.
I urge you to immediately call off this action, return our teachers to the classrooms, and re-engage in constructive dialogue for the good of all stakeholders—most of all, our children.
The people of Antigua and Barbuda deserve better. Our children deserve better. And it is time for the leadership of A&BUT to reflect on its duty, not only to teachers, but to the nation.
Mother of Child
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There is not one individual (other than ABLP government officials) that would be upset at teachers for fighting for their pay, and good conditions for students and teachers. What idiot would believe that sensible people will disagree with the reasonable actions the teachers and students should take in striking for better conditions.
We are in complete support of you, Mr. Charles. We the parents make up the members of the public and stand in complete support of the union! You are showing us that the teachers/union care about its members. HOLD THE FORT! Nothing important was not gotten through birth pangs. It hurts right now but it’s the only solution to the long standing disrespect of some of the most valuable members of society.
“Let me be clear: no grievance, however legitimate, justifies holding our children’s education hostage.”
If this isn’t the most ignorant statement I’ve ever heard.
This has ABLP written all over it. So persons must always put others first over themselves despite years of unpaid dues? Hmmm… make it make sense. How about calling out the people responsible as opposed to the people standing up for themselves?
Political whores just plying their trade.
@my way of helping
You’re still talking politics. This is too long. The writer stated ways and means by which this could have been handled and I agree, but here we are again talking about ABLP. Nothing is wrong in standing up for ones right, but there has to be a better way to resolve this matter. I pray this will be resolved soonest.
They have valid concerns, but there has to be a better way to resolve this.
The union needs to consider long-term support—not just short-term pressure.
I think the longer this lasts, the more trust the union risks losing.
A sensible person would. There’s more than one way of skinning a cat , this is a future of a nation not just teachers only…..strike if you must not at a crucial time as this ….do you have children???what’s the future like remember America is not the bed of roses like before .
Make this place comfortable it’s for us all .
They have valid concerns, but there has to be a better way to resolve this.
If they’re not careful, public sympathy could turn into frustration. HMMM
Agree with this article, so reckless to hold our youths hostage, pure dam bs!
Mother of a Child, why don’t you take your opinion and light up the “dirty and ugly place”.
Do you believe that none of the teachers have children in the public school system?
You are so so wrong if that’s your belief.
So because of your child or children the teachers should give up their time, energy, and money for free?
Well i have news for you, laboRAT.
They will remain united and stand for what is theirs.
You can continue to sniff the cabinet members exhaust vent for as long as you want.
You can continue to worship Gaston Browne for as much as you want.
You can preach in Gaston’s paper for as much as you want.
They will remain united and firm in the demands.
You can continue to sit on the side of the labour parliamentarians table and wait for crumbs for as long as you wish.
The teachers do not want to do that.
They want to be independent.
So advise your incompetent government to give them their dues and the strike will come to an end.
To the Public:
Please do not be manipulated by this writer. We need to stand with our teachers and other civil servants who raise their voices for their rights. At the end of the day, we all have families to provide for and protect; along with obligations to fulfill. ANTIGUANS and yes, Antiguans need to stop being selfish beings because we tend to disregard the hardship or situations of others until God forbid, we are faced with the same fate or worse. Whether or not their recent actions are politically motivated, this situation is beyond that. The government needs to manage their resources better and give the people what they rightfully deserve.
Our children deserve better and so do our Teachers. We need to understand that for our children to gain the best they can from our educational system, the needs of facilitators, such as ours teachers, need to be met to promote a productive learning environment. Therefore, looking at this matter in a one-sided manner is very bias as a parent.
Sincerely,
A Broad Back Mother
This is so transparent, written by one of the minions and then commented on by some of the same minions and Lickspittlers, I can smell Faithful National #1 as part of this farce
Least we forget
I was going to school n no teacher was there to teach us
V c bird senior beat n locked up out teachers n but them in jail.we had no teachers to teach us
You ppl don’t remember that how hypocritical of u ppl.
The labor party forgot how they treated our children and teachers.
n r now treating them that way again
Only under labor
De ja vous
U can rant n rave all u want Gaston Browne
I stand with the teachers
Don’t back down
Be resolute
The ppl who drink the red coolant can say they want
Stand up teachers
This is the m o of the labor
When politicians keep promising for seven long years and keep bluffing sometimes you have to take action for them to understand that you need bread on your table and not the crumbs they want to give you.