Two days after airport workers held a public protest over stalled wage negotiations, leadership at Grantley Adams International Airport Inc. (GAIA) has pushed back against allegations from the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) that company management has refused to engage in collective bargaining.
In an official statement provided to local outlet Barbados TODAY on Thursday, GAIA spokesperson Sharleen Browne-Jones refuted the union’s claim that airport leadership has ignored multiple outreach attempts to schedule formal negotiations. “That assertion is incorrect,” Browne-Jones stated, pointing to a documented trail of communications between GAIA Inc. and the NUPW spanning several months, with confirmed exchanges on February 10, April 2, April 7, April 14, and May 8.
Browne-Jones explained that scheduling conflicts rooted in conflicting availability on both sides have been the primary barrier to holding formal talks, rather than deliberate delay from management. “At different points, availability constraints arose on both sides, including instances when NUPW representatives were unavailable and other instances when GAIA Inc. was unavailable,” she said. “It is therefore not accurate to suggest that GAIA Inc. has been unresponsive or that it is delaying the process.”
Browne-Jones’ comments came in direct response to industrial action held at the Barbados airport on Tuesday, when dozens of workers walked off the job to demonstrate against what union leadership described as months of silence from management in response to a formal wage adjustment proposal. The NUPW, which represents the airport’s frontline and administrative staff, submitted its formal bargaining package nearly five months ago, calling for a 20 percent wage increase for the 2025–2027 period. According to the union, GAIA management has still not tabled a formal counter-proposal to the workers’ request.
Speaking at Tuesday’s protest, NUPW president Kimberly Agard accused GAIA Inc. of refusing to enter meaningful negotiations despite the union’s repeated requests for a meeting. “The NUPW would have put a position to the management of GAIA Inc. since last year December, and to this date, no response has been given,” Agard told reporters. She emphasized that the union had “continuously reached out to management” in an effort to return to the bargaining table, noting that staff frustration had grown steadily over the months of delay. “The members are frustrated. They work hard, they deserve better,” she added.
In Thursday’s statement, Browne-Jones pushed back against that narrative, confirming that discussions remain active and that management is fully committed to reaching a resolution through open, constructive dialogue. “The management of GAIA Inc. remains in communication with NUPW. A meeting in June has already been proposed, and GAIA Inc. continues to work toward that date,” she said. Browne-Jones added that if an earlier time slot that works for both parties becomes available, airport management stands ready to convene negotiations ahead of the planned June date.
“GAIA Inc. values its employees tremendously, respects the role of the union, and remains ready and willing to engage constructively,” Browne-Jones said.