DLP Manifesto: The First Broken Promise

We never expected they would fail so early in the game.

When the Democratic Labour Party mounted their election campaign a few weeks ago they made a number of promises in their manifesto, including this one:

Page 36. Conversely, a new DLP government will move to immediately enact a comprehensive national Labour Rights legislative compendium which will include the following:

• A Full Employment Rights Act

• An Alternative Disputes Settlement and Arbitration Committee

• A Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Act

• National minimum wages legislation

• Legislation fully recognizing Trade Unions.

A mere four weeks after coming to power, they are already notifying us of their FIRST BROKEN PROMISE.

The first official day of work for the new government was Tuesday 22 January 2008. It is now the morning of Tuesday 12 February 2008 and there are 79 days left until the 100-day deadline of 30 April 2008.

Bajan Free Press

http://www.nationnews.com/story/290978295226553.php

Minister: New laws after talks
Published on: 2/11/08.

by YVETTE BEST

THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME for the Ministry of Labour will not be among achievements in the first 100 days of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Government.

Minister responsible, Senator Arni Walters, made the point on Sunday when addressing the half-year meeting of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) at Solidarity House.

He said the legislation would take some time because full consultation with the relevant stakeholders would take place prior to any enactments.

“It is the Government’s intention to obtain broad consensus taking into account the changing international trading environment and the need to preserve employees’ employment rights as enshrined in the Constitution and in compliance with international labour standards,” he said.

The minister also said Government was looking to put in place a number of “contemporary” pieces of employment legislation, entrepreneur structures and resources to assist in providing new employment opportunities and protecting rights.

He added that the Barbadian population needed to “seek to enhance the productive capacity with a view to competing globally”.

Government’s legislative agenda for employment and labour relations is as follows:

1. A full Employment Rights Act.

2. A revised Trade Union And Human Relations Act,

3. A Safety And Health At Work Act,

4. A Sex Discrimination And Harassment Act,

5. Expansion of minimum wage legislation to key sectors,

6. Revision of aspects of the Holiday With Pay Act

7. Revision of aspects of Shop Legislation to bring it in line with contemporary consumer thinking in changing circumstances,

8. To provide for new dispute resolution mechanisms including the revision of the Labour Department Act, the setting of Alternative Dispute Resolution and a system of employment appeal tribunals, and

9. Revised aspects of Public Service legislation.