The congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) is demanding that members of the protective services and nurses receive double pay for working public holidays, arguing that current compensation practices leave these essential workers unfairly disadvantaged compared to their counterparts in other sectors.
Speaking at a press conference recently, CTUSAB president Ryan Phillips outlined the union’s formal submission to the Ministry of the Public Service, which calls for immediate policy changes to bring these critical workers in line with established national labour standards.
The proposal addresses compensation for Barbados’ 12 statutory public holidays and seeks clarity on overtime payments for hours worked beyond regular shifts.
Phillips said while other essential services workers routinely receive compensation for holiday work and overtime pay, protective services personnel and nurses were currently offered only time off in lieu – a practice that has proven problematic.
“Due to staffing shortages and operational demands, this time off is often not feasible,” Phillips said, noting that nurses frequently miss their compensatory days entirely or must take them under stressful conditions, undermining the intended benefit.
The union’s position draws heavily on existing labour legislation and established customs. Under the Public Holidays Act and the Shops Act framework, double pay for holiday work is already mandated for many sectors, with Phillips noting that “many employers in various employment sectors embody in their labour agreements the payment of double-time for work completed on a public holiday”.
Phillips argued that while protective services and nurses might not fall directly under the Shops Act, they were covered by the Employment Rights Act and collective agreements within the public sector.
General secretary Dennis de Peiza highlighted the importance of these workers to national security and public welfare.
“These are key institutions to the national security and welfare of the country,” he said, warning that inadequate compensation could undermine worker motivation and dedication.
De Peiza questioned whether workers could be expected to give 100 per cent while “seeing other sectors of society booming, some that are not necessarily as important to the country’s safety, security, health and welfare”. He challenged policymakers to examine their priorities, asking whether they were truly committed to “empowering and uplifting” essential workers or merely offering “promises and hope in the future.”
CTUSAB has submitted three specific policy recommendations: legislating double-time public holiday pay for all protective services members and nurses for the 12 statutory holidays, developing formal criteria for applying flexibility time versus overtime pay and integrating these policies into standing orders and collective agreements.
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