Labour Week Message from the General Secretary, David Massiah

Labour Week Theme: “Strengthening our Commitment to Social Development and Equity”

As a progressive Union with the interest of workers at the core of our organisation, we understand first-hand how the workforce is evolving rapidly and the commitments designed years ago are no longer enough to meet today’s demands.

This year, the Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union celebrates Labour Day under the theme “Strengthening our Commitment to Social Development and Equity.” While this theme is forward-looking, it also calls on us to revisit our history in order to strengthen our resolve.

Seventy-four years ago: on May 1st in 1951, Labour Day was first recognised as a public holiday in Antigua and Barbuda. At that time, the conditions facing workers were vastly different from what we experience today. Those were days marked by long hours, struggles, limited protections, and few guarantees of dignity in the workplace. 

With the establishment of the Antigua & Barbuda Workers’ Union in 1967, a new era was ushered in and workers demanded more for themselves. Through the ABWU, workers and their representatives helped accelerate the development of the Antigua Labour Code, which is widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive and progressive compilation of laws in the region. This framework guaranteed essential protections for workers and set the standard for fairness in employment. The development of the Social Security Scheme further strengthened workers’ financial security, providing support in retirement, access to paid sick leave, and maternity benefits that offer critical protection for working families.

As we reflect on the struggles and times past, we can also recall the tireless efforts of one of our founding fathers, Bro. Malcolm Daniel, whose leadership and negotiations helped to reduce the standard work week from 48 hours to 40. That victory was not just about time; it was about dignity, balance, and the right of workers to enjoy fuller lives with their families.

Today, as we stand on the shoulders of those who organised, advocated, and fought to transform the world of work through collective action, we are proud to have secured significant advancements that have enshrined fundamental rights and improved the lives of workers across our twin island state.

But our work is not finished. There is still a need to update the existing laws. There needs to be accountability through performance metrics and further strengthening of opportunities to provide training to advance workers’ careers. These are needed to help workers gain real-world skills, find jobs that will help them and power our economy.

The world of work is evolving rapidly. Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, the gig economy is expanding, and remote work is becoming more common. These changes bring both opportunity and uncertainty. The question before us is clear: how do we continue advancing social development and equity in this new era? 

We do so by remaining united, relevant and vigilant. We must ensure that, despite these changes, workers retain their dignity, their rights are protected and new benefits are pursued to enhance their quality of life. Workplaces must never profit at the expense of people. Each and every worker deserves fair wages, financial security and protection from exploitation and discrimination.

As a Union, we must also remain organised and engaged. A strong and active labour movement ensures that workers participate in shaping policies that affect their lives. It means standing together to close inequality gaps, challenging unfair practices, and ensuring that technological and economic change benefits all, not just a few. In doing so, we build a society where dignity, fairness, and shared prosperity are not ideals, but realities for every worker.

This Union is also seeking to ensure that women and young workers are afforded fair and equal opportunities in the world of work, including equal pay for work of equal value, access to decent employment, and protection from all forms of discrimination. Equity in the workplace demands that barriers which limit advancement are actively dismantled, so that talent and ability determine opportunity. At the same time, we must place strong emphasis on education and skills training, creating clear pathways for young people and women to access continuous development and meaningful careers. By investing in training, apprenticeships, and lifelong learning, we empower these groups not only to participate in the economy, but to lead and thrive within it.

This Labour Week, we call on all workers across Antigua and Barbuda to stand together in solidarity. We are also calling on the Government to start the framework for a disability insurance for workers. Workers sometimes get injured on the job and the workplace and workmen’s compensation cannot aptly support the workers’ lifestyle. This is of great concern to us at the ABWU.

So today, as we approach Labour Day, let us strengthen our collective voice and renew our commitment to social development and equity.
Join us at this year’s Labour Day Rally and March on Monday, May 4, at the ABWU Headquarters on Lower Newgate Street, where together we will publicly demonstrate our unity and determination to protect the gains of the past while fighting for a better future for all workers.

We are “Strengthening our Commitment to Social Development and Equity.”

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