Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) Criticizes Sandals Barbados Resort for Staff Layoffs and Hiring Practices: Calls for Official Inquiry

Sandals Barbados Resort has come under fire from the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) after a dramatic U-turn on recent staff layoffs, prompting calls for an official inquiry into the company’s hiring practices.

The BWU claims to have obtained emails from Sandals’ Human Resources Manager Kim Henry Charles, informing employees previously at risk of redundancy that their roles are now secure. This development comes just days after the union accused the resort of hiring 18 new housekeeping staff without contracts, paying them a wage of $400 per week, despite having recently made approximately 200 workers redundant.

BWU General Secretary Toni Moore described the situation as “rather astonishing” on Thursday.

She revealed: “We now have copies of emails from Sandals Barbados, sent by their Human Resources Manager, Kim Henry Charles, to some of the very employees who were supposedly at risk of redundancy. The email states that following the company’s ‘redundancy consultation process’, these employees’ roles are no longer at risk and that they are expected to return to work on September 29, 2024, under the same terms and conditions.”

The union also alleges that Sandals has “quietly” dismissed the recently hired “so-called casual” workers between last Friday and Monday.

Moore accused the resort of attempting to “magically make this situation disappear”, which she described as disturbing.

“These workers, hired without contracts, paid in cash, and denied basic protections, were part of an underground arrangement,” he declared. “Now, after the BWU exposed this, they have been swiftly sent home without explanation. Once again, we see workers being treated like disposable objects, to be used and discarded at will.”

The BWU is demanding justice for those casual workers, condemning the hotel’s treatment of them as “despicable” and arguing that they should not be punished for speaking out about their arrangement.

“The BWU will not stand idly by while these 19 workers are victimised for simply wanting to provide for their families. Neither should the Government of Barbados nor the people of Barbados support this kind of . . . behaviour by Sandals,” Moore asserted.

“This entire situation should serve as a rallying cry for all Sandals workers—and, in fact, for all workers across Barbados. Speak up! Silence is often felt to be easier, but it does not bring meaningful change. Sandals and other companies must not be seen as too big, too bold, and too powerful to be challenged.”

The union called for a thorough investigation into Sandals’ practices and urged the government to address the issue of taxpayer-funded concessions it granted to the hotel chain.

Moore said: “If justice can be seen to be done in this instance for the displaced workers, the ministries of labour and tourism must be encouraged to act and address the issue of concessions to Sandals.”

Neither Sandals General Manager Surinder Lucky Kahlon nor Public Relations Chief David Hinds could be reached for comment.

Javon Griffith, chairman of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), told Barbados TODAY his organisation would need to review the latest information before responding.

The BWU said it remained firm in its demands for a thorough investigation into the practices at Sandals and other companies where similar practices are occurring or may be contemplated.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb