Attorney Urges – By Sharon N Simon
Attorney Urges Overhaul Year
Attorney, E. Ann Henry has called for an urgent overhaul of the nation’s 1975 Labour Code, warning that outdated legislation no longer meets the needs of the country and has not done so for over 30 years.
In particular, she highlighted that the Code has left workers exposed to toxic buildings and generally unsafe working conditions because the law is outdated and ineffective, and does not address the realities of today’s workplace.
Speaking on Observer AM, Henry argued that successive governments have failed to modernize protections of the law and the current day problems of mold, poor air quality, and structural decay now common in Antigua’s office environments are simply not treated in the law.
Henry highlighted a growing phenomenon of sick buildings across the country, where failing air conditioning and structural deterioration are driving respiratory illness among workers. She warned that when employees stop working, it is often a last resort after management has repeatedly dismissed critical safety reports — and that the real consequence of continued inaction is the permanent deterioration of worker health.
She also pointed to a dangerous absence of Personal Protective Equipment in construction, field operations, and waste management, and called for the implementation of immediate national standards to close that gap.
Henry broadened her definition of workplace safety to include basic dignity, arguing that access to clean water and functioning toilets represents a governance issue, not merely a comfort one. She said good governance in the workplace requires mutual accountability — employers must provide clear job descriptions and fair assessments, while employees remain responsible for delivering a full day’s work. Where disputes arise, she noted that workers should have access to clear reporting hierarchies, with the Labour Department serving a vital role in mediation and conciliation between both sides.
To protect workers outside the formal union structure, Henry called for a revitalization of the Trade Union Congress, warning that employees in small shops and non-unionized environments are currently falling through the cracks of the existing system. She also noted that while recent minimum wage increases are welcome, the rising cost of living may require further revisions — though she acknowledged the circular debate that wage increases present for business costs and productivity.
On the question of a four-day workweek, Henry urged caution, arguing the policy should remain an individual business decision rather than a national mandate. She said implementing it across the government sector would require complex shift rotations that risk disrupting essential public services.
Addressing the rise of artificial intelligence, Henry urged local firms to treat the technology as an operational tool to enhance productivity rather than a justification for mass layoffs. She said the survival of the local economy depends on interdependence — a model built on clearly managed and communicated expectations between employer and employee.
Henry concluded that labor reform is not simply a legal matter but a national one, and that the dignity, health, and economic contribution of every worker depends on a code capable of reflecting the world they actually work in. Thus, she called for prioritizing the building of a national consensus through consultations and discussions across both islands and across all sectors.
