Hammock Cove Workers Elect ABWU as Bargaining Agent - Wage Increase Takes Effect July 1

Employees at Hammock Cove Resort and Spa have taken a significant step toward improved workplace protections by electing the Antigua and Barbuda Workers' Union as their legally recognised bargaining agent — a milestone that will immediately deliver a wage increase and formal entitlements to one of Antigua and Barbuda's most acclaimed luxury resort workforces.

First Official Staff Meeting since Union Certification

On Wednesday, workers at the resort held their first official staff meeting since the union's certification, sitting down with ABWU President and Senior Industrial Relations Officer Kem Riley for an introduction to what union representation will mean for them in practical terms.

Riley advised employees that the company has agreed to adopt all existing arrangements contained in the collective bargaining agreement covering Elite Island Resorts, of which Hammock Cove is a subsidiary — giving the newly unionised workforce immediate access to a negotiated framework already in place across the group.

Wage Increase from July 1

Among the highlights of the meeting was the announcement of an immediate wage improvement. Employees will receive an increase of EC$0.50 on the hourly rate, effective July 1, 2026 — a tangible, immediate gain that arrives in the same week that certification was formally acknowledged.

Public Holiday Pay Formalised

The collective agreement will also formalise the employer's compliance with public holiday pay entitlements — ensuring that workers receive a full day's pay or a lieu day when they are scheduled off on a public holiday. While such entitlements may have existed informally, their formalisation within a legally binding collective agreement gives employees the ability to enforce them and provides a clear standard that cannot be arbitrarily altered.

Healthcare Coverage for Workers and Families

Riley also encouraged employees to take full advantage of the ABHTA/ABWU Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan, noting that the plan provides affordable healthcare coverage not only for resort workers but also for their families — an important benefit in a sector where access to reliable, affordable health insurance has historically been uneven.

A Commitment Going Forward

The union president reassured workers that the ABWU remains committed to negotiating a full collective bargaining agreement that will continue to improve working conditions and enhance the overall wellbeing of Hammock Cove employees in the months ahead.

The certification of the ABWU at Hammock Cove adds another workforce to the union's growing portfolio in Antigua and Barbuda's tourism sector and follows a period of sustained labour activity that has also seen new agreements secured at Epicurean, Vernon G. Edwards Limited, and ongoing engagement with the aviation sector.

Hammock Cove Resort and Spa — recently highlighted by Caribbean Journal as one of the properties contributing to Antigua and Barbuda's recognition as the Caribbean's top honeymoon destination — now joins a growing number of island hospitality establishments where workers are formally represented and collectively protected.