A wave of labor unrest is sweeping through Barbados’ primary aviation hub as airport service employees voice escalating dissatisfaction with their compensation and working conditions. The Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) has issued a stark warning that additional industrial actions may follow Thursday’s coordinated work stoppage at Goddard Catering Group (GCG), which occurred on the airport’s busiest travel day of the year.
The disruption unfolded on what industry insiders refer to as “Fat Thursday,” when approximately 8,000 passengers transited through Grantley Adams International Airport. According to BWU Deputy General Secretary Dwaine Paul, the labor action resulted from collapsed negotiations between GCG management and employee representatives. “There was a breakdown in terms of responses to negotiation matters,” Paul stated, explaining why the morning shift workforce withdrew their labor.
Approximately 50-75 staff members across ground operations, passenger services, customer support, and maintenance departments participated in the work stoppage that began at 7:00 AM. Operations resumed around midday after union representatives received communication from GCG management addressing key concerns. Paul confirmed that based on management’s response, both parties have scheduled negotiations for next week to comprehensively address outstanding issues.
The union official emphasized that GCG represents just one of multiple airport service providers facing unresolved labor disputes. Paul warned that without prompt resolution, additional industrial actions appear “highly likely” during peak travel season, potentially involving other critical airport operations including air traffic control services.
When questioned about the strategic timing coinciding with peak passenger traffic, Paul refuted any suggestion of deliberate scheduling, noting instead that airport management should prioritize fair treatment of workers responsible for passenger welfare. Despite attempts to contact GCG’s human resources department for commentary, no response was received by publication time.