Bernard De Nully, President of the AT&LU speaks at the V.C. Bird Day wreath-laying ceremony (photo by Wayne Mariette)
The President of the Antigua Trades and Labour Union (AT&LU) has said significant repairs must be completed and an independent air quality assessment carried out before staff at the Antigua and Barbuda Broadcasting Service can return to full duties, following a health and safety walkout at the state broadcaster.
Speaking to Antigua.News Bernard De Nully confirmed he met with ABS management on Monday after union representatives conducted a walkthrough of the premises and observed conditions firsthand.
Employees of the Antigua and Barbuda Broadcasting Services (ABS) gathered outside the state-owned media house
“We have come to the understanding that a lot of things have to be changed inside the building,” De Nully said, listing non-functional bathrooms, faulty lighting, roof leaks, and damp, foul-smelling carpeting as among the issues requiring immediate attention.
De Nully said that workers were “withdrawing themselves from the environment”, citing the Labour Code which grants employees the right to legally withdraw themself from an environment that is unsafe.
Workers have been instructed to report to the building to sign in and then return home, an arrangement that remains in place until the union is satisfied conditions are safe. Beyond the physical repairs, De Nully said a qualified engineer must conduct an air quality test before any recall of staff. The assessment, he said, must confirm the building is suitable for occupancy before normal operations can resume.
De Nully described the situation as avoidable.
“What has happened today is a situation that the workers were set up,” he said. “And as a responsible union, I was there on the spot to make sure that the welfare of the worker is being looked at.”
The workers were “set” up or “fed” up? Make it make sense please
It’s shocking that employees had to withdraw from work over conditions that are completely preventable. Leaks, foul carpets, and broken facilities are basic things that management should have addressed years ago. Workers shouldn’t have to fight for their right to a safe environment.
It’s infuriating that this could have been prevented. Proper maintenance, basic repairs, and regular inspections could have avoided this entire situation.
and i 100% agree with him. why put people health at risk all in the name of money. infustructure without maintenance is like a bee without it’s pollen. fix this mess. we always wait last minute, when the issue gets worse
Let gov rent a better building for them.
Alot needs to change at the top of the mountain too
ABS building old like the days they have been operating
The government said they were getting a new building