ATLU Boss Says A ‘Lot Of Things Have To Be Changed’ Inside Building Before ABS Workers Return To Full Duties
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.
“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.”
This story was first published by Antigua News on March 3, 2026: antigua.news/2026/03/03/atlu-boss-says-a-lot-of-things-have-to-be-changed-inside-building-before-abs-workers-return-to-full-duties. © 2026 Antigua News. Republication without permission is not allowed.
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