The Barbados Workers’ Union has sealed more than memories into a time capsule at its Solidarity House headquarters — it’s buried a message of gratitude, resilience and enduring commitment to Barbadian workers.
The message was delivered in a capsule-sealing ceremony by General Secretary Toni Moore, who reflected on the union’s journey, paying tribute to the generations of members, officers and leaders whose efforts have sustained the labour movement through decades of challenge and change.
Among those attending the ceremony were former General Secretary Sir Roy Trotman, head of the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union Mary Redman, General Secretary of the National Union of Public Workers Richard Greene, and other labour movement representatives.
Moore used the occasion to express heartfelt appreciation to those who continue to uphold the mission of the BWU, which is approaching its 85th anniversary.
“This time capsule holds gratitude to the shop stewards, the officers, the delegates, the members — everyone who keeps this movement alive and moving every single day,” she said.
She also honoured the women who helped pave the way before her historic rise as the union’s first female general secretary, while acknowledging the support that has sustained her leadership.
“A leader is only as strong as those who stand with him or with her,” Moore said, reflecting on what she described as a turbulent period. “The past 12 years have been rough. The seas have been choppy, but the journey has been possible because I’m assured that I do not stand alone.”
“To those who walk with me, those who supported me, those who challenged me… it is because of you… that we refuse to break. Instead, we continue to grow in strength.”
Looking to the future, Moore said the capsule represented far more than a symbolic archive.
“Today, as we shortly install this time capsule, we are planting more than memories. We are planting a message to the future,” she said, declaring that the BWU is “an institution that is built to last”.
She stressed that the union’s core values — fairness, justice and unwavering advocacy for workers — remain true today even in the ever-changing workspace.
“Our commitment to fairness and justice will always be non-negotiable and…the worker, always the worker, remains at the center of everything that we do.”
Formed in the wake of the labour unrest that swept the British West Indies in the 1930s, Barbados’ oldest and most influential trade union was formed on October 4, 1941, representing workers from agriculture, transport, and tourism, to manufacturing, public services and media.
The BWU quickly became a driving force in the country’s social and economic transformation, working in tandem and sometimes in tension with both major political parties, whose members have been key leaders in the union, including current general secretary Moore, a Labour Party backbench MP.
After growing into a mass-membership organisation of tens of thousands, with a reputation for tough collective bargaining in the post-independence era, membership has declined amid changing labour and political environment, even as it strove against unfair treatment and helped secure landmark gains such as improved social security, severance and employment protections.
Most recently, the union played a key role in pushing for legislation to prohibit firms deemed to have disregarded workers rights from receiving public contracts. Addressing the union’s future leadership, who are to open the capsule in 2041, the union’s centennial year, Moore urged them to continue strengthening the institution they inherit.
(SB)
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