Antigua and Barbuda Trades and Labour Union President Bernard DeNully has pledged the union would move decisively from negotiation to direct action where necessary at the union’s 75th Labour Day celebrations, outlining a series of recent gains secured for workers.

Speaking before a large crowd at the VC Bird Bust, DeNully pointed to a 400-worker protest march of APUA workers as evidence of the union’s renewed willingness to take to the streets on behalf of its membership.

“This year, we took to the streets with the workers of APUA,” DeNully said. “The unity of labour was displayed as we walked from Casada Gardens to High Street — 250 workers strong, then another 150 joined, 400 strong — protests for pension payments, serious health and safety issues, and a proper salary increase after holding the squeeze for two previous collective bargaining agreements.”

photo by Robert Andre Emmanuel

The march followed a prolonged dispute over pension entitlements for monthly workers at the Antigua Public Utilities Authority.

DeNully said an agreement in principle had since been reached with the government, committing to honour APUA workers’ pension obligations.

Beyond industrial action, DeNully outlined a programme of member development, noting the union was providing ten scholarships per semester at the UWI Open Campus for general members and an additional ten scholarships per semester exclusively for shop stewards.

“We are empowering our membership through educational opportunities,” he said. “We are paving the way for upward mobility in the workplace.”

DeNully also confirmed that rehabilitation work had begun on Emancipation House, the union’s historic headquarters at 46 North Street.

“If you go to 46 North Street right now, construction has started,” he said, adding that the building would be restored rather than demolished. “We are going to reinforce the foundation. We are going to keep the historic building. We are not tearing it down.”

Addressing workers directly, DeNully reminded members of their fundamental rights including fair working conditions, equal pay for equal work, freedom of association, and protection against discrimination and forced labour.

He also called on workers to fulfil their own obligations in return. “We are fighting for better wages, we are fighting for better conditions — so when you go to work, what do you do? Work,” he said.

DeNully also flagged ongoing concerns about workplace health and safety, noting that many government workers were operating in what he described as substandard rented buildings.

He said the government had plans to construct a new government complex to address those conditions.

The ATLU represents workers across several public sector entities including APUA, the Antigua Broadcasting Service, the hospital, solid waste operations, and most recently the supervisory unit of West Indies Oil Company.