Melissa K. F. Cochrane, a long-serving Producer at ABS Television/Radio, has resigned from her post, alleging that she was forced out due to what she describes as a prolonged campaign of mistreatment, breaches of contract, and a hostile work environment at the state broadcaster.
In a resignation letter addressed to ABS General Manager Mrs. Erna-Mae Brathwaite and dated July 11, 2025, Cochrane announced her immediate departure, declaring that her exit should be regarded as a case of constructive dismissal.
Cochrane’s letter outlines a series of incidents over her tenure, which, she claims, amounted to a repudiation of the employment contract. Among her complaints were:
– Lack of Training: She said she was assigned duties as an On-Air Host and Producer in 2020 without receiving adequate training. Formal training only came four years later, after she had already faced criticism for alleged underperformance.
– Withheld Benefits: Despite being entitled to an On-Air Clothing Allowance, Cochrane says she never received it, forcing her to personally cover work-related expenses that others in similar roles had covered.
– Professional Isolation: She claims management engaged in character assassination, portraying her as unprofessional and unreliable, even during periods when she was balancing work with personal medical trauma.
The resignation also details incidents of alleged harassment and discrimination, including:
– Pregnancy Loss & Stress: Cochrane linked a miscarriage in 2022 to chronic workplace stress, stating management provided no support during her ordeal.
– Pregnancy Discrimination: In 2023, she claims she was denied reasonable accommodations while pregnant, subjected to performance evaluations for time taken on medical leave, and forced into physically demanding tasks.
– Gaslighting and Harassment: She cited repeated belittlement, shifting narratives, and hostile communication as part of a wider pattern of psychological abuse.
Cochrane describes a series of workplace conflicts that culminated in what she termed the “last straw” — accusations during her May 27, 2025, performance evaluation that she had lied about technical difficulties affecting broadcasts. She said the claim was false and contradicted by ABS’s technical team.
A month later, on June 27, she was again threatened with disciplinary action for circumstances beyond her control. At that point, she said, it was clear that the relationship of “mutual trust and confidence” had been irreparably broken.
Other incidents cited in her resignation included:
– The mischaracterization of medical leave as “job abandonment.”
– Hostile emails accusing her of “slack” performance.
– Management ignored or dismissed her creative contributions, including talent show and radio program proposals.
– Public shaming after she raised workplace safety concerns about flooding at ABS’s entrance on social media.
Cochrane described her treatment as deliberate “entrapment and psychological manipulation” disguised as administrative enforcement.
Declaring that she considers herself constructively dismissed, Cochrane said she reserves the right to pursue remedies under labour law. She also requested immediate payment of her final salary and all outstanding entitlements.
Her resignation letter concludes: “These incidents, individually serious and collectively overwhelming, constituted a sustained course of conduct that breached the implied term of mutual trust and confidence, which is fundamental to the employment contract.”
Cochrane’s departure adds to ongoing public scrutiny of workplace practices within the Antigua and Barbuda Broadcasting Services (ABS).
