[Ricardo]

I heard from an employee of one of Ram Mirchandani that when vacation comes around for any employee seh usually pays them for the time they will be on vacation and gives them their papers to take to the unemployment agency and gives them the option of re-applying for the job. In effect they are laid off every vacation.

I find this very disturbing. Is it that Mrs. Mirchandani owns so much in Barbados that she is above the law?

[Glamour_Girl]

First thing first you got to find out if the person was permanantly employed full time or on a contract basis. If permanantly full time well she is wrong. If contract basis she is wicked but you can't stop her on that one.

Another place which pratice unfair management is Chubbies Video and Max Entertainment. I was first shocked to see how much the worker there were being paid. They also work a split system, which in today's world is bare-foolishness.persons working there for over five years barely scaping $201 (and they got that by making noise). Persons who came to work for that company for about 1 year to 2 years are making more than the persons who have been there for years.
i even understand that management has made it clear that they don't care about the staff, just want thier videos rented.
Each Chubbies Video makes at least $2000 per day for 6 days and approx. $1000 on Sundays. At least $3-4000 on any given day which is before a bank holiday.
Now there are 12 Chubbies Video, you do the math.

So I have take in upon myself to stop renting Videos, DVD's or take any service , even discontinue my Free Motion Dial up from that company, Front Row Video, which is Trading as Chubbies Video.

Please note all of the Videos in there are Pirated Copies, I ain't hearing no one saying that they are illegal. But I know if I get a chance or any back chat from the mangement of Front Row Video, I know whose establishment will close by the end of 2004.

[Bendedknees]

GG these attendants at Chubbies and Max why dont they come together and join the Union. I know the answer already, they frighten to lose de pick right?

[Snoop]

BK, you read my mind.  My thoughts exactly as I read the post.  Guess what?  Nothing will change, because the merchant class in Barbados knows that Bajans are a bunch of frightened people.  I swear, this stuff just irks me.

[Beep_Beep]

Wait Rick,where have you been? This thing was going on with Miss Ram for over 20 years now. None of her workers I believe will never be entitled to severence pay,because of this annual "check off " system. And don't mention about becoming unionised to fight such unfair work practices,because many individuals went to join the union, durin thier lunch break, and when they got back from lunch, Mrs, Ram knew, and the individuals were dismissed. Now you tell me. But what can you do with such an employer who seem to be on the very good side of the Police, Town and Country Planning,and otheres in high places. Remember back in the early 80's when she was operating Childrens Wear like a plantation third class gang, Don Blackman the then Minister of Labour, said in a rage . "I am going up here for this lady." And that was the last we heard of that saga.
But speaking of sweat shops, lets not forget those mansions in the Gates and Heights that employ maids for as much as 12 hours a day, to cook, iron wash, clean, walk the dog, look after the baby, act as security guard, receptionist and God knows what else, for just a pittance a week.

[Confucius]

BK, the Union stinks!  However, I agree that workers like the ones at Cubbies and Mrs. Ram need to organise to protect their interests.  However, we seemed to have forgotten the promised 'employee's" rights legislation.  As you know, the draft died with the last Parliament, so it has to be reintroduced.

I think that this is worthy of a separate discussion.

[Bendedknees]

Indeed CF I believe that there is a topic on the relevance?role of the Unions in Barbados, please feel free to pull it up. You definely need to expand on your cynical remark which was directed towards our Unions. Especially so since Sir Roy has been lauded for his great contribution to bIM as a Union Boss :-X

[Glamour_Girl]

Well I passed by the Video Shop this morning and told a young lady about the union. She said "UNION!!!!! you mad!!!!, and then you are going to give me a job"... she also went on to tell me that A staff member from the Haggat Hall Branch of Chubbies Video, was fired this week for being sick. Another was fired last week because the Supervisor (who is a known thief an shoplifter) set up the poor gir to take the fall for the missing $20.00.

When I check out some of theses person working at the Video Shop I am impress, they are really workers. So when I get my little cosmotique store up and running by June 2004 I will be asking some of them to join me.

[bimshaboy]

All of this simply shows the "My pot don't boil, or I don't Rice at you" attitude which still persists in Barbados".

First: One has to place blame on the Government because, IF it has not, it is due time that a minimum wage standard be established. This is a NEW day in the world, and while the government may be giving companies all kinds of tax benefits for employing Bajans, this does not stand that they should be paying them sub-standard wages. In the mean time these buisness owners are building the mansions and "living high on the hog"

Secondly: Haven't or don't Bajans know what the word boycott means, don't they know that what affects one affects all, don't they know they don't have to be in a Union to fight for their rights, Where does the media stand in bringing these injustices to the front "burner"? Where are the politicians/ tircksters who, when they want the votes make all sorts of false promises to the voters?

DANG!!! Are we talking about Barbados or the USA.

DCSS= Different Country Same Sh!t  or seemingly so.
And we thought slavery was abolished. Huh!!

[Snoop]

BB, you're preaching to the choir.  Bajans don't even have the will to change what I consider to be a number of sick, sick situations.  Boycott?  Please don't make me laugh.  If I didn't know better I would swear that the politicians are still handing out corn beef and biscuits.

[Beep_Beep]

Wait Snoop, you really don't know any better, the Politicians are still handing out Cornbeef and biscuits and white rum,and in some cases, they have upgraded to Kentucky Fried Chicken, if you please. ;D
Things will always remain the same in Barbados,as many of us are not prepared to make any sacrifices. BB is quite right, we still operate with the mentality that " my pot don't put on at you" Talking about standing up for your rights is a bare joke, some years ago I recall a strike at the Post Office site, that was dragging on for weeks, during that time another strike took place at the Cement Plant and the management there threatened to fire all the striking employees, next morning the striking Post Office workers were down at the Cement Plant trying to take the jobs of the CP workers. And we talk gibberish of Solidarity. We are a docile selfish race of people. Remember when that other fellow  Vog was taken to bits for including the term cowardly.Well ,You be the judge.

[Confucius]

I don't think that I want to share my opinion of Sir Roy, alias the Great Grand Duke of York, at this time.  However, I have had the opportunity to see him at his best, and at his worst.  If he understands the labour market problems that confront Barbados, then, he seems to have made some cynical choices that cannot really be in the interest of the majority of Barbadians.  A careful look at his antics between 1991 and 1994 is warranted.

BB, you should be aware that a review of country experiences raises questions about the real long-term benefits of legislated minimum wages.

[Beep_Beep]

Conf, all should be well, it looks af if the Duke of York has capitulated.

[Beep_Beep]

Lets bear in mind that a lot of the fancy stuff that we bought over the holidays were manufactured in sweat shops in a Asia,Mexico and the Caribbean. We have no right to condemn our locally grown sweat shops while supporting businesses that import goods from similar sweat shops.

[Glamour_Girl]

So what are you saying? are you thinking that we should have "Sweat Shop Appreciation Day".
well it sounds like a good idea, lets get all the persons working in Newton, Harbour, Wildey, Six Roads, Grazzettes, Warrens Industrial Parks plus the whole of Town and most Black, Cryrian, Indian, White own Businesses also the Supermarkets, Petrol Stations any type of Retail or Rental stores/ shops to come together and have a fun day.
***N.B.  No Unionist Workers allowed.
"Barbados' Fisrt (which could be annual) Sweat Shop Day"

[Beep_Beep]

Thats a good idea, GG,Sweat Shop Appreciation Day. The Minibuses and ZR vans now dominated by the Asian Community can provide the Transport there. Abeds will furnish any material needed to make costumes. Big B supermarket will provide refreshments. Chubbies will provide video entertainment. Furniture Limited/Liquidation centre will provide the chairs. ;D

[Glamour_Girl]

eh heh!!! We talking about Sweat Shops here but do some of the employees know about the labour Laws.
Today (and I still can't beleive this) I went to lunch at the Ship Inn Restaurant ( and beleive me it was great), so I was telling my girlfriends that I bought the swim suit I have in my bag from Up Beat. The brand was "Ripples" and was made in Newton Barbados (that is why I buy it). I paid $85 for it. My girlfriend told me that I shouldn't buy that. It was not the rice that got her offset it was the fact that she has a new girl who is working with her, who worked at Ripples up until about November. She said the girl told her that after a week of work, she only carried home if she lucky was $96.
$96, have to pay rent, send school a little boy and pay $30 bus fare to get work. She carried to work biscuits so the money could strech.
I felt so bad. So you know that I adding Ripples to my list of unfair places of employment.
As of tomorrow I will start my own enquiry into working practices in Barbados, once it maked 100% bajan or is registered as a Barbadian Company, I will be checking it out.

100% bajan and ain't paying the fu@k!ng people nothing... I am so vex that I am going to wear the stupid swim suit until in mash-up cause i ain't buying another one. >:(

[Beep_Beep]

But GG, you see those sweat shop owners like Ripples , knows that they have us by the balls,and will continue to play this game. If you and other Bajan women decide not to buy Ripples clothing, its lay off time for those poor girls,and let me tell you something, and I hope the Union is watching the situation, but there is an influx of Guyanese workers, and I have nothing against this, in the Industrial Estates,and I suspect that they are being  paid even lower wages than the Bajans,and in some case working longer hours.

[Confucius]

Yeah, G_G and Beep2, there is an old saying that when you are up to your A$$ in alligators you must remember that you went into the swamp to drain it, and that the hip bone is connected to the ankle bone.