The Waterfront and Allied Workers Union (WAWU) has highlighted the challenges associated with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), the First Caribbean International Bank (FCIB), and regional airline LIAT in 2019.
WAWU Secretary-Treasurer, Kertiste Augustus, said last year was challenging and exciting for the union in relation to the sales of RBC and FCIB as well as the management of LIAT. Members of WAWU work in these establishments and they were represented by the union during negotiations.
The National Bank of Dominica (NBD) together with a consortium of indigenous Eastern Caribbean banks purchased all RBC operations in Eastern Caribbean in December 2019. FCIB was acquired by another entity from Latin America, Augustus revealed.
“We are in fact addressing both of those issues…where we are hoping that we will be able to discuss…the implications and the challenge coming out from that action,” he said.
He said he will be attending a meeting in Trinidad and Tobago where other trade unions will also discuss the FCIB as it affects staff.
Augustus then said WAWU is worried about the financial difficulty confronting LIAT. He said eight Caribbean countries, including Dominica, developed the Minimum Revenue Guarantee (MRG) strategy to keep the regional airline operational.
The eight countries served by LIAT were tasked to contribute US$5.4 million to an emergency fund to keep LIAT in the skies, but only Dominica made the contribution – while WAWU has no current updates regarding the donation, Augustus stated. “It is an area that we need to engage our administration in discussions”, he disclosed.
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