est. 2007

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General Secretary Caswell Franklyn of Unity Workers Union Accuses BWU of Being Irresponsible in the CBC Strike Matter

VETERAN TRADE UNIONIST CRITICISES BWU FOR ITS HANDLING OF THE CBC MATTER

Veteran trade unionist and General Secretary of the Unity Workers’ Union, Caswell Franklyn says the Barbados Workers Union only wants to show its might rather than being right.

Mr. Franklyn says there should be no dispute over the increments issue which was negotiated.

He adds that the actions like those being taken by the BWU have hurt the union movement’s image over time, and resulted in some unions continuing to lose members

90 responses to “General Secretary Caswell Franklyn of Unity Workers Union Accuses BWU of Being Irresponsible in the CBC Strike Matter”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    @Caswell

    Please say it is not true. Who gives an increase to an employee at the Max of the range?

  2. Fractured BLP Avatar
    Fractured BLP

    So Caswell ……have you preached this sermon of ‘ irresponsible union leadership ‘ to Akanni Mcdowall as well ?
    As you have done to Sir Roy ‘ Duke of York ‘ Trotman ?

  3. Fractured BLP Avatar
    Fractured BLP

    David

    I hope you have taken a cue from Caswell……that is call a spade ♠️ when you see it ?

    By the way how is your investigation on whether MAM has an LEC qualification or not coming along ?

    Your comments/ questions above – to Caswell are fine……but don’t cherry 🍒 pick your topics !!!!

  4. David Avatar
    David

    We are waiting to see the outcome to the DLP’s resolution at the annual general meeting which instructed the Attorney General Adreil Brathwaite to report on the matter.

    #Ja

  5. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    David

    I don’t think that Sir Roy is expecting CBC to pay increments to the 68 members of staff who have reached the top of their salary scales. I believe that he is more interested in the fight so that he can give the impression that the BWU is working on behalf of its members. In so doing, he is hoping to attract new membership or at least stem the outward flow his membership.

    It is interesting to note that his picketing has at best only attracted 40 people.

  6. David Avatar
    David

    @Caswell

    Something surely smell rotten here. Sir Roy as experienced as he is knows that increases are not paid to employees at the top of their ranges.

  7. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    David

    I agree that should be experienced enough to know that increments are not when a worker reaches his maximum. But you must consider another factor, and that is: Sir Roy might be spending more and more of his waking time in the company of that German man – Alzheimer.

    Sent from my iPad

  8. David Avatar
    David

    @Caswell

    Let us tackle this issue from another angle. Let us assume Sir Roy has made an “error” in judgement, why has the council given the go ahead to escalate industrial action?

  9. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    David

    The Executive Council of the BWU has always been used as a rubber stamp of the General Secretary’s actions. You must also bear in mind that the BWU now has two general secretaries.

    You should recall that the industrial action at CBC started long before the Executive Council met to approve industrial action. Also note that Sir Roy is supposedly employed as an advisor but this advisor seems to be advising no one. Who was he advising when he conducted negotiations with CBC without the presence of any of the staff of BWU.

    Sent from my iPad

  10. Tell me Why Avatar
    Tell me Why

    @ Caswell

    I am a bit curious pertaining to certain opposition from you to the other trade unions. Is it that you are trying to operate like a cat sneaking up on a mouse that is eating a piece of cheese. Looking back at the Union and the business sector walking, you was opposed to the strike in the interim but wipe your mouth clean when over 20,000 walk.. Maybe, you are hoping that these unions will make a fundamental mistake and you make inroads to grabble the volatile members. Am I right ? Union leaders don’t have to be buddies, but must have that connect for any assistance that might be needed in order to protect workers. I say no more but will look at the out come to see if The CBC and Union will come to a positive understanding within a democratic process. Forget the politics since it will only destroy any Union – big or small.

  11. Tell me Why Avatar
    Tell me Why

    @ Caswell you said

    Sir Roy might be spending more and more of his waking time in the company of that German man – Alzheimer.

    You don’t know you have it until someone check your medical health. You and others might also be friend of that German.

  12. Fractured BLP Avatar
    Fractured BLP

    Ok David

    That report of the investigation will come .

  13. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    Chuckle….or it could be a ploy to force the govt to call early elections…….as layoffs are looming due to the failure of the NSRL,hence a lack of money…….who knows.

  14. David Avatar
    David

    10 hrs ·

    BWU’s demands could ‘cost jobs’

  15. Topcat Avatar
    Topcat

    Workers should educate themselves so that they are use by persons who are seeking to improve themselves at others expense. If you are at the top of the scale you are not entitled to any increments. That is the law and has been the law when I join the service. Fire them!!

  16. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Topcat October 1, 2017 at 8:30 PM

    What a brilliant case you have just put forward for putting the long-ailing CBC at the top of the list for immediate sale or closure since it is too far gone for any attempt of restructuring to achieve some semblance of viable resuscitation.

    CBC along with others like RDC and UDC will soon feel the hammer of the IMF because your home-grown plan of restructuring has found itself in the hospice for the terminally ill and would require an injection of foreign stimulation to hobble to the door of the undertaker with a note tied to their toes “good riddance to politically-created bad rubbish for we should never have been created in the first instance”.

  17. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Fractured BLP October 1, 2017 at 6:23 PM
    “That report of the investigation will come .”

    “Will come” when?
    As the Jamaicans would say: Go bring and come (again)!

    We are still awaiting the Pegasus Hotel tapes.

    What about the investigation into MAM’s love of beating and biting both local and foreign broads with succulent clits so hooked as to make her criminally unfit to hold public office just like the speaking Michel(le) the Carry-away-a-ton conman.

    What about the Four Seasons deal which was so close to completion that not even a pinch of snuff could get between the anus of the MoF (minister of failures) the stinking liar and the ready dickheads of imaginary investors who like groupies were sleeping outside his office just waiting for a piece of the all seasons action promised since September 2011?

  18. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    Why do we need CBC in the age of internet? The video clips on Nationnews, Barbados Today and other platforms are sufficient.

    Instead of singing Pravda´s hymn, the CBC staff should go to St. Michael North West and film the shootings in this area. You have just to wait 10 minutes at night before something happens.

    Or dress yourself as a young white male tourist, go to the beaches at West coast. It will take the camera team only two minutes before some drug dealer approaches them.

  19. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    Vincent Haynes October 1, 2017 at 7:05 PM #

    “….or it could be a ploy to force the govt to call early elections…….as layoffs are looming due to the failure of the NSRL, hence a lack of money…….who knows.”

    @ Vincent

    Stuart should have announced the election date shortly after the credit rating downgrade # 20.

  20. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    Fcuktured BLP

    Will George Pilgrim also ask Adriel Brathwaite to investigate the reasons why Tannis, Abed (and many other DEMS in recent months) left the DLP to join the BLP and the other “third parties?”

    During previous DLP annual conferences George would “brag” about how many people joined the DLP during the particular year, presenting outrageous statistics. Yet, we only see a “HAND FULL” of people at constituency branch meetings.

    However, this year I noticed that George did not brag about how many new members joined the party.

    Perhaps he should similarly tell the public how many people left the DLP.

  21. Fractured BLP Avatar
    Fractured BLP

    Miller don’t panic !!

    The details are coming !!

    By the way you noticed how MAM & George Payne kept their mouths shut in Parliament last week during the debate on the Barrack building !!

    Edmund Hinkson sprang to his feet to douse the fire 🔥……but used GASOLINE instead ….!!!!

    It is going get hottter as the CORRUPT…. BLPites are further exposed .

  22. Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim. Avatar
    Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim.

    Not only is CBC a useless propaganda money-pit but it is competing against tax payers while pissing away tax payers’ money.

    Give the employees 100% shares in the company proportional to their salaries, cut all subventions, rent them the building for $1 per month, charge them the same license fees the other radio stations are charged and move on to the next statutory money-pit to do the same.

    Let water find its own level.

    Turn tax spenders into tax payers and give the rest of us a break!

  23. Erskine C Miller Avatar
    Erskine C Miller

    Just one simple question, was the employees over the salary scale in 2012? if the answer is no shouldn’t they receive the increments until they reach the salary scale. If they received salary increases when Thompson was in office, shouldn’t the scale also increase. I know that there are salary ranges and when an employee negotiates an contract the ranges doesn’t remain the same but increases the same amount as the % of the contract.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    @Caswell

    You are listening to Sir Roy explaining the position?

  25. David Avatar
    David

    @Frustrated Businessman

    We must try to avoid clouding the issues.

  26. David Avatar
    David

    Sir Roy’s position is that the CBC agreed to increments for ALL employees in lieu of a performance system being implemented. In fact as recent as August 17 Suckoo and the CBC agreed and asked for six months to comeup with a plan.

  27. David Avatar
    David

    After listening to Sir Roy and the General Secretary Moore it is evident the agreement under dispute was not relevant to existing conditions and BOTH parties must be reprimanded. In this day a relevant performance management system should have been implemented by the CBC management and on the other side of the issue the union should have know increases to employees at the top of the scale would create a problem i.e. kicking the can down the road.

  28. David Avatar
    David

    Interesting comment from GS Toni Moore today regarding the lack of urgency by Suckoo to schedule a meeting between the union and labour. Why not have the meeting today?

  29. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    David

    It would appear that BWU has placed itself out on a limb, and it would also appear that Minister Suckoo is not in any hurry to help them down from that perch.

    The position taken by BWU is not only unreasonable, it is unconscionable. The Minister has no power to resolve this or any other Labour matter. Unfortunately, over time, the union and Government cosied up together to deceive workers, pretending that there was industrial harmony. Now it seems that Government does not want to continue the pretence, so there is now no mad rush to help Trotman and his other junior general secretary to save face.

    Sent from my iPad

  30. David Avatar
    David

    @Caswell

    There is simply too much politics in everything we do in Barbados these days.

    On Tue, Oct 3, 2017 at 10:28 PM, Barbados Underground wrote:

    >

  31. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    David

    You are absolutely correct. Today’s politicians have polluted this country with their low level intellect. But it did not start in 2008 when the DLP were elected to manage the affairs of this country, even though this is the dumbest lot that ever got together to form an administration.

    We watch as political parties had a maximum leader and any piece of crap could win a seat if he held on to the leader’ coat tails. Thereafter, the crap would end up forming a cabinet. It has now reached the point where most of the Cabinet is not Cabinet material but the PM is forced to use them anyway because that is all that he has to work with.

    While not being able to adequately manage the affairs of this country, politicians somehow believe that they must control ever non governmental organisation, from unions to PTAs, to keep them from embarrassing the government. As a consequence, organisation, like the unions especially, engaged in party politics rather than act in good faith, with a view to the best interest of their membership or the country.

    BWU is now positioning itself to appear that it the vanguard to remove the DLP, in order to curry favour with the BLP that is widely expected to win the next elections. You would recall that this union played the same game in 1994 to topple the Sandiford Administration with Sir Roy emerging as Owen Arthur’s boy. I think this time around he is trying to prepare Toni to become Mia’s girl, but that can be dangerous.

    The CBC strike should never have happened. At least though the majority of the staff realised that they were being used and refused to support the action. This strike is essentially over and is a humbling experience for Sir Roy. Today, they managed to muster about 12 out of approximately 280 members of staff to support the strike.

    To save face, BWU will order the strikers back to work on the pretence that they are doing so out of respect for the politician that would be chairing a meeting of the two sides. Eventually, this matter would peter out.

    Sent from my iPad

  32. David Avatar
    David

    Caswell you have read that Suckoo is reported to be out of the island today and therefore former head of the BEC Harry Husbands will chair the talks between the union and the CBC? How ironic!

  33. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    I know that the minister is out of the island that is why I made reference in the last paragraph above to the politician that would be chairing the meeting. I also expected the face-saving climb down by BWU after the big talk. The BWU could not maintain the strike when the CBC staff realised that they were being deceived.

  34. David Avatar
    David

    The commonsense position is to acknowledge that the CBC is practically an insolvent entity.

  35. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    David and Artax,
    Based on information given to parliament it looks like the tax measures are working. In addition,CBC was insolvent when Henry Forde was campaigning and promised to sell as soon as the BLP won the election. They won and fourteen years later it still had not been sold. Wha happen?

  36. David Avatar
    David

    @Alvin

    How do you define ‘working’? The fact the minister stated the NSRL has raked in 50 million dollars so far? Dont you have to assess the other points the minister made that growth this year will be .5% and we know that forex reserves has now reached single digit weeks? There are other measures we can point to…

  37. john Avatar
    john

    caswell yuh wrong did time. I lost trust in yuh

  38. Tell me Why Avatar
    Tell me Why

    @ Caswell you said

    Sir Roy might be spending more and more of his waking time in the company of that German man – Alzheimer.

    I counter attack your statement i an earlier post and will go further. Everybody seems to be blaming Alzheimers whenever seniors forget something. What about young people below 21 years of age who are always forgetting.

    However Caswell, you are wrong about BWU decision to strike. Did you see the agreement between the Union and The CBC before talking nonsense? Unionism should be a collaboration between Unions to work together since one of these days you might need assistance. You cried down the walk and your criticism spew effluent in you face. Now you criticise BWU decision to fight for the rights of workers and this time solid waste all over you.

    How on earth can you expect other Unions to assist your Union if you run into problems.

    I must admit that I respect your views, but I cannot be a hypocrite on this issue.

    Doug apologise. I presume yours should be coming shortly.

  39. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Tell me Why

    You don’t recognise a sell out when you see it. There was no agreement between BWU and CBC to pay any increments above the scale. They are now saying that there was an agreement with Senator John Williams, during the Arthur Administration, to pay above the scale. Do you really believe that? If that were the case, why was it not honoured since then?

    Government does not want to be embroiled in any confusion with BWU so near an election campaign. Mind you, this matter is far from settled.

    Sent from my iPad

  40. David Avatar
    David

    Caswell

    Something smells rotten here. To lien to Doug Hoyte’s profuse apology was nauseating.

  41. Tell me Why Avatar
    Tell me Why

    Earlier in talks, it was stated that Senator Williams and the Union agreed to the increments. Was it that The CBC probably didn’t understand such language? As you may know in the trade union world, you cannot just wake up one morning and state you striking tomorrow. The union was wishing and hoping for months that The CBC would get on the same page, but instead CBC prolong the matter until the union couldn’t take it no more. Caswell, do you feel Minister Suckoo would have been able to broker the deal?

  42. john Avatar
    john

    @ Caswell

    You get in here and talk a lot of bull. Whatever you say not outside of an apology is not going to cut it. The facts of the matter is that the union get what it was fighting for the workers.
    All you do is get in here and spew a lot of political garbage against the BWU that if you were proven correct would have get you one or two government workers.
    You plot failed.

    If there is a sellout or not the union and workers got what they wanted.
    Under your leadership you would have SOLD out the workers.

    Your garbage attack on BWU leadership was unwarranted, political and nasty.
    I have lost all respect for you.

    Nothing short of an apology will redeem you.

  43. David Avatar
    David

    What has the union gotten? The workers have been paid the four increments? If they are paid who will ultimately have to pull pockets at an agency that is chronically insolvent?

  44. Tell me Why Avatar
    Tell me Why

    David. You would have realise in both the private and public sector, management always stating that it s impossible to give an increase due to a lack of money, yet additional employees are hired and top management receive increases. That is the behaviour of all managements.

  45. john Avatar
    john

    @ David
    I don’t know if you questions were aimed at me.

    Who is going to pull their pockets is/should not be a concern of a union at this point. If an agreement was made on behalf of the workers then it the union business to see that the obligations are met.

    If CBC has to send home Doug and use his salary to make up the difference then so shall it be. He or whoever can go and have Caswell union to fight for them.

    If it is insolvent then it need restructuring or selling and layoff will happen in both cases.

    The union has gotten some extra dollars for it members (and the non- members will also benefit). Those that are kept will have a little more and those that will be let go will benefit now with a little more before they go.

  46. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    Caswell

    Correct me if I am wrong……did I hear someone from the BWU state that agreements reached at meetings are not taken down……or in other words meetings are no longer minuted/recorded……if so when did this start?

    I recall negotiating as the BA rep. pay increases in the 70s with Leroy as the BWU rep. and all meetings were minuted for approval at the next meeting after circulation prior to the next meeting.

  47. David Avatar
    David

    This is the idiotic space we find ourselves, a government via SOEs having to promise increments that is broke. Once a payment is done expect an avalanche of requests to be submitted by unions onbehalf of the others.

  48. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Vincent

    If the meetings are not minuted one party can always come back and say that you misunderstood me, as in this case.

    What will eventually happen at CBC is what is happening at the Barbados Water Authority, where junior workers are receiving more basic pay than their supervisors. But then again, CBC’s management caved in and they might not tolerate a BWA situation. They might argue to have the differences restored.

    Sent from my iPad

  49. john Avatar
    john

    @ David

    Then blame the government. The union government looked out for its members, the union is looking out for theirs.

    Like it or lump it !

  50. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    Did all of you really believe we were going to get through election season without employees getting a raise? Fool be on you.
    After umpteen years of stringing them out, all now need a pre-election win.
    The economic crisis ended years ago, everywhere but in Bim. That is because ours was self inflicted. Watch and see if we don’t get a tax rollback too…..the NSRL was so successful we can now reduce taxes.
    We do not need an election budget, when the same can be achieve via other means.

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