In every modern society, there are professions that hold up the pillars of public life. Nurses, police officers, soldiers, and fire officers are the workers who show up not just when it is convenient, but especially when it is not.
They are on the job during hurricanes, during crises, and yes, on public holidays when most of us are at home relaxing or frolicking with family and friends. It is against this backdrop that the recent call by the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) for fair and adequate compensation for protective services workers and nurses should not only be heard but acted on quickly and decisively.
At the centre of CTUSAB’s demand is a simple principle of fairness. CTUSAB is calling for double-time pay for nurses and members of the protective services who work on the nation’s 12 statutory public holidays. This request is not radical. It is not outrageous. It is rooted in common sense and basic labour rights, and it is already something most other workers receive.
Presently, these essential public officers are compensated with time off in lieu for working on public holidays. In theory, this may seem like an acceptable arrangement. However, in practice, it is inadequate.
As CTUSAB President Ryan Phillips rightly noted, due to chronic staffing shortages and the 24/7 nature of essential services, these lieu days are often delayed, denied, or taken under duress. The result is that many nurses and protective services personnel end up effectively working holidays without receiving any real compensation. This is not only demoralising, but it is also unjust.
In many other sectors, workers are paid double-time for holiday shifts. The Shops Act, as noted by Phillips, affirms such practices in private-sector collective agreements.
The question must be asked, then: Why should those who carry such a heavy responsibility to keep the country safe be left out? Nurses who spend Christmas tending to the ill, or police officers who patrol the streets on Independence Day, should not be treated as if their contribution is less valuable than that of a worker in the retail sector or an employee working in an office. They deserve not only recognition but compensation that reflects the value of their service.
The Employment Rights Act and public sector collective agreements offer support for CTUSAB’s position.
Some may view this as a matter of law, but we see it as a moral issue. Should the people who protect our communities and care for our sick and elderly be made to feel that their labour is not equally valued?
General Secretary Dennis de Peiza’s challenge to policymakers is timely. Failure to compensate essential workers properly and recognise their worth will not only affect morale but could have wider repercussions.
Issues of burnout, stress, and understaffing in the protective services and nursing professions all have implications for public safety and health outcomes. A police service with many demoralised officers in the ranks or an overworked nursing staff at key institutions can translate directly into unwelcome outcomes.
CTUSAB’s three recommendations are reasonable, clear, and achievable. The labour group wants the government to legislate double-time pay for the 12 statutory holidays, clarify the conditions under which time off versus overtime pay should apply, and have these provisions included in the formal collective agreements. These steps would bring the island in line with international best practices and send a powerful signal of respect to these essential workers.
As De Peiza pointed out, essential workers are not asking for luxury or excess; they are asking for fairness. Government has an obligation to lead by example and ensure that those who keep the island safe and functioning through storms, sickness, and other crises are not left behind.
At the heart of this issue is also a broader question about what kind of society we want to build. If we truly value the people who care for our loved ones and keep our streets safe, we must prove it by our actions and our treatment of them. Fair pay is a good way to show it.
Ensuring double-time compensation for holiday work would send a powerful message to these public servants.
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