Hundreds of employees at C.O. Williams Construction have ceased work following a deadlock in salary negotiations. Dwaine Paul, Deputy General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), confirmed that the dispute has been escalated to the Chief Labour Officer, and the union is awaiting further instructions. Paul emphasized that all workers will remain off the job until they receive guidance from the Chief Labour Officer, citing widespread dissatisfaction over the stalled wage increase discussions. He also highlighted the broader challenges facing the construction sector, underscoring the necessity for comprehensive dialogue among industry stakeholders. Paul called for a national conversation involving workers across Barbados to address systemic issues within the construction industry. A meeting to discuss these concerns is reportedly scheduled for next week.