— Antigua and Barbuda Trades and Labour Union President Bernard de Nully has accused management at the Public Works Department of using “frustration and intimidation” against non-established workers, claiming some employees are being pushed to the point where they stop reporting for duty.

De Nully made the allegation during the AT&LU’s 87th Annual Delegates’ Conference while addressing what he described as social injustice and a failure to respect basic workers’ rights.

He said hundreds of young workers, single mothers and people given a second chance to improve their lives are among those affected.

“Young workers, hundreds of them, single mothers, youths given a second chance to change their lives to stick to the straight and narrow are being frustrated to point that they just don’t return to work,” de Nully said.

He alleged that management then treats those workers as having abandoned their jobs.

“Management would say that they have abandoned their jobs while the reality is that they were constructively dismissed. That is a clear case of unfair dismissal,” he said.

De Nully argued that all employees, regardless of their position or status, are entitled to dignity and respect in the workplace.

“A cleaner should be given the same respect as a General Manager,” he said, adding that basic human dignity should be afforded to workers in both the public and private sectors.

The union president did not identify individual workers who he said had been affected or provide specific cases of alleged constructive dismissal in his address.

The allegations formed part of a broader criticism of unresolved workplace grievances across the public sector, with de Nully urging workers to remain united in pressing for their rights.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: AT&LU Accuses Public Works Management of Frustrating Workers Into Leaving Their Jobs.