President of the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU) Kem Riley has accused employers of continuing to skirt the Labour Code through temporary contracts and disguised employment arrangements, even as he pledged that the union will actively shape — not merely survive — the technological transformation of the workplace.
Delivering the president's address at the opening of the union's 59th Annual Delegates Conference on Sunday, President Riley reminded delegates that the 2019 amendment to the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Code should have made the employment of temporary workers "a thing of the past." Instead, he said, workers are still being issued temporary contracts and hired "under the guise of independent contractor and other forms of non-traditional employment."
"A worker does not become an independent contractor simply because someone writes those words on a piece of paper," the ABWU president declared, asking whether such arrangements create flexibility for workers or "insecurity and instability." President Riley said the union remains vigilant against practices "designed to avoid legitimate employment obligations by simply changing the label attached to the worker."
On technology, President Riley posed the central question facing the labour movement directly: "Will we simply react to those changes, or will we help to shape the future of the people we serve? I believe the answer must be clear. We will shape it."
He said artificial intelligence is changing how tasks are performed, automation is replacing traditional functions, and skills "that served us well yesterday may not be enough to carry us into tomorrow." The union, he said, must become an even stronger advocate for training and retraining, pressing employers and government to invest in workers "so that technology becomes an opportunity rather than a threat."
At the same time, he cautioned that technological advancement must not become an excuse to undermine workers' rights. "A modern workplace must still be a fair workplace. Productivity must not come at the expense of dignity. Profit must not come at the expense of fairness," he said.
President Riley, who noted he has served as president for the past seven years, also pledged continued defence of workers against unfair dismissals, victimisation, discrimination and unfair redundancy practices, while stressing that workers themselves carry responsibilities. "We are not asking for workers to be above accountability. We are asking for accountability to be fair, consistent and just," he said, singling out the abuse of sick leave — which he said increases during the carnival season — as a practice members must avoid, since "sick leave is a benefit intended for legitimate illness and must be used responsibly."
