After two decades, the first large-scale job evaluation for Barbados’ public sector has wrapped up, with as many as 20,000 public employees and workers at state-owned enterprises (SOEs) set to see adjustments to their official job assessments. Currently, the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) is conducting a line-by-line review of the final evaluation report, preparing to guide affected members through next steps, including an established appeal pathway for workers unhappy with their individual results.
In an interview with Barbados TODAY this week, acting NUPW General Secretary Wayne Walrond outlined the union’s immediate priorities. “The union is about to peruse the report in detail and make its conclusions and comments,” Walrond stated, noting that a formal structured review process remains open for any worker who wants to raise concerns about their outcome. “There is still a process whereby persons can appeal the outcome, and there is still room for review where persons can flag concerns with the outcomes. The union is still committed to engaging those job descriptions where persons would flag concerns after seeing the review.”
Walrond acknowledged that some workers may get early information about their job reclassification through unofficial channels before the union releases its official guidance, but emphasized that the NUPW has taken on the formal responsibility of notifying all its members of the official evaluation results. “I can’t say that the only forum through which one can become aware of their job description is through the union, but we have a responsibility to reach out to members and inform them of the outcome of the job evaluation,” he added.
Earlier comments from NUPW General Secretary Richard Green clarified the scope and core purpose of this landmark review, which has been 20 years in the making. Green confirmed that the evaluation process, which included two senior NUPW officials as oversight representatives, explicitly excludes any plans for job retrenchments. He explained that over two decades, job roles naturally evolve: some existing tasks become obsolete, while new responsibilities are added that were never part of the original job description. This evaluation seeks to align each role’s official assessed value with its current actual responsibilities, rather than relying on outdated valuations set 20 years ago.
A key protection built into the process, Green stressed, is that no current public worker will face a downgrade to their position or salary, even if the re-evaluation finds their role’s overall value is lower than previously recorded. Only future workers hired for that same position will work under the new assessed value and corresponding pay scale. Conversely, roles that have grown significantly more complex over the past 20 years will receive updated, more accurate valuations that can translate to higher salaries for current workers in those positions.
“We will assess the jobs in light of the skills that are required, the competencies required, the qualifications required, and the market value of that job should be reflected in the job evaluation exercise,” Green explained.
As the lead collective bargaining representative for public sector workers across Barbados, the NUPW holds seats on both the oversight and scoring committees for the evaluation. Green emphasized that the union will continue to monitor every step of the rollout to ensure all outcomes are fair for members, particularly as adjustments to pay and working conditions are finalized. He reiterated that no full job positions will be eliminated through this process; only individual duties will be updated or adjusted to reflect modern skill requirements and new technologies.