Basseterre, St. Kitts (November 4, 2009) - Peoples Action Movement shadow minister for Labour, Roy Fleming has issued a passionate appeal to workers to commit to the principle of strength in unity. Fleming recently made this statement after speaking to a number of workers who claimed that they were discriminated against and victimized.
Fleming noted that workers should also continue to commit to his party’s call for change, declaring that the current labour government should be viewed as not having workers rights and interest at heart owing to their lack of response to a number of critical workers related issues.
“It is evident that the workers of St Kitts and Nevis will have to elect a new government owing to the enormous and continuous challenges that they continue to face under the Denzil Douglas administration. As a federation that belied in ensuring that workers rights are uphold it is only with a Peoples Action Movement administration can we restore order, decency and tranquility to the people of St Kitts and Nevis ,” Fleming said.
The shadow Minister for Labour stressed that under a PAM administration his Government will ensure the building of workers’ cooperatives and credit unions and ensuring that their voices are heard against violations of workers’ rights. “No longer can we tolerate what Marriott did to our own and if we do not put systems in place immediately we will continue seeing more of what occurred there,” Fleming warned.
He also extended an appeal to employers and their companies to recognize the importance and role that their employees play. This means committing to treating them (workers) as the most valuable resources in their enterprises and to commit to the principals enshrined in the ILO Decent Work Agenda.
Fleming in reiterating the challenges and difficulties faced by workers said that each day comes with the harsh reality and realization that many of the federation’s workers have to be confronted with uncertainty about job security. “We have to face the reality and admit that our workers are faced daily with job security uncertainty that unfortunately lurks large and an unstable political administration that continue to abuse and victimize workers,” Fleming declared.
“It is known that St Kitts and Nevis has not been spared the ravages of major layoffs as we have seen what has occurred at Marriott, Four Seasons and some other companies the government has been unable to effectively monitor closely the global and national economic situation,” he said. He however questioned as to whether the present administration will be able to respond to ameliorate possible hardships on the federation’s workers.
He pointed out that it is very unfortunate that despite the Labour administration’s 14 years in office that they have not been able to achieve a decent record of championing the rights of workers. “Under the labour administration we have not been able to see government and their union representing you the workers so as to ensure better wages and working conditions and social and human development of workers and their families. I pledge that with a new administration under PAM immediate changes would be made so as to bring about the needed relief,” he said.
Fleming said that he is appealing to his government counterpart in deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour, the Hon Sam Condor to genuinely endeavour so as to ensure that Kittitians and Nevisians would be able to enjoy all the elements of the Decent Work Agenda as reflective in enforcing workers rights, equality, social dialogue, security and dignity.
