The Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union (ABWU) has secured its first Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with Carib Seas Ltd, paving the way for the introduction of new benefits for line staff employees. The recently signed CBA is the culmination of several months of protracted negotiations due to uncertainties about the company’s future.
The ABWU and Carib Seas have agreed to a 5% salary increase for employees. The increase will
be structured in increments over a three-year period beginning with a 2% increase in the first year
of the Agreement, followed by a 1.5% increase in the second and third years respectively. Other
highlights of the Agreement include a long-service award which will be paid to an employee upon
attaining 10 years of service with the company and every five years thereafter. The line staff will
also benefit from an increase in vacation days and severance pay.
Employees who father new-born children will benefit from five days of paternity leave under the
Agreement. ABWU President and Industrial Relations Officer, Kem Riley, says this benefit has
now become a standard item in many Collective Agreements negotiated by the Union. Riley adds
that the ABWU is also advocating for a Labour Code amendment that will entitle every father to
a period of paternity leave.
The ABWU President notes that there are several other benefits that the Union hopes to introduce
in future Collective Agreements with Carib Seas Ltd. One such is the death-in-service benefit.
According to Riley, the Union is working towards making this item a standard feature in many of
its Collective Agreements.
The ABWU is grateful to the Management of Carib Seas Ltd for facilitating the negotiations and
committing to a mutually beneficial outcome despite the challenges. The Collective Agreement
covers the period March 1, 2022 ― February 28, 2025.
