The Antigua and Barbuda Workers' Union (ABWU) has expressed deep concern over the sudden and permanent closure of Costpro Supermarket, warning that more than 100 employees now face uncertainty over their earned benefits and livelihoods.
According to Antigua News Room, ABWU General Secretary David Massiah and a team of union officers met with the displaced workers at the union's Freedom Hall Headquarters on Friday morning. The meeting focused on the workers' rights and entitlements arising from the redundancy, as well as the support the union intends to provide throughout the process.
The ABWU has pledged to pursue every available avenue on behalf of the former employees, including legal action before the courts, to ensure the employer fulfils all statutory obligations. These include severance pay, notice pay, outstanding vacation pay, and any other benefits to which workers are legally entitled.
Affected employees have been advised to gather their letters of employment, pay slips, and other relevant employment records to help facilitate accurate calculation of their entitlements.
The union has also renewed its longstanding call on the government to implement Severance Protection Legislation in Antigua and Barbuda. Such a mechanism would establish a dedicated fund to safeguard employees' entitlements in circumstances like these.
The ABWU argued that had such legislation been in place, workers at Costpro would not now be facing doubt over receiving benefits they earned through years of service. The union pointed to previous cases involving Jolly Beach Resort, LIAT (1974) Ltd, and Tranquility Bay as evidence that the current framework repeatedly fails workers when employers become insolvent or cease operations.
The existing legislative framework, the union stated, does not provide sufficient protection for employees' earned benefits when companies close. The ABWU said workers should never be left wondering whether they will receive the severance to which they are legally entitled.
The union affirmed it will continue to stand with the former Costpro Supermarket employees until every outstanding entitlement has been paid in full.
