No Political Interference: Frederick Denies Victimisation in NHC Redundancies

The minister overseeing the National Housing Corporation (NHC) has insisted that the dismissal of three workers earlier this month was not a case of victimisation but the result of restructuring within the state agency.

Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister responsible for Housing and Local Government, Richard Frederick, has maintained that the positions were made redundant, and the three women received payouts totalling over $520 000.

The workers were notified on January 10 that their positions had been made redundant. The National Workers Union (NWU), which represents the employees, then wrote to the Labour Commissioner, alleging a lack of consultation on the matter.

“The NWU was not engaged or consulted in this clear, calculated and deliberate act to disregard and violate the provisions of our Collective Agreement and the Labour Act Cap. 16.04. This kind of behaviour, if not addressed, is about to set a dangerous precedent in the industrial relations environment in the country,” wrote the NWU’s Secretary-General Johann Harewood in correspondence copied to Prime Minister Philip J Pierre and the International Labour Organisation.

The opposition United Workers Party also accused Frederick of political interference and victimisation.

However, during a pre-Cabinet media briefing on Monday, Frederick asserted that the decision was not made by him.

“The NHC is currently going through some restructuring and in so far as the restructuring is concerned, certain positions became redundant. The occupiers of those positions, invariably, if the positions are no longer available, they had to sever ties with those persons,” he told reporters.  

“I don’t micromanage. It was the human resource department – committee, rather – that made recommendations, and the board went with the recommendations. It had nothing to do with me, but…I said before those persons go home, ensure you’ll have money to give them every penny to which they are entitled and that was done.”

The housing minister disclosed that the displaced employees received over $520 000 in payouts, with one individual receiving more than $200 000.

“So, it was not to say that you are deliberately doing anything that would cause rancour…. I mean, invariably life must go on,” Frederick added. 

When pressed about the matter being taken up by the NWU, the minister responded: “The issue that was discussed…. I wasn’t there, but I can only report based on conversations I had with my senior members at NHC. The conversation centred around whether there was the adequacy of notice, not the lawfulness or unlawfulness of the severance of ties between NHC and the individuals.”

Under the revised laws of Saint Lucia (2022), Section 167(1) on Contesting Redundancy states: Where the certified trade union at the workplace is of the opinion that conditions of redundancy as defined under the Act do not exist at the workplace, the trade union may lodge an objection with the redundancy with the Labour Commissioner.

The law also provides for the Labour Commissioner to act if they deem the objection reasonable. This includes requesting the employer to submit relevant documents, such as accounts and statements, to justify the redundancy.

At the time of writing, St Lucia Times was unable to confirm the status of the case with the Labour Commissioner.