Sir Frank Walcott

Sir Frank Leslie Walcott was born on September 16, 1916, in Saint Peter, Barbados. Orphaned at a young age, he joined the fledgling Barbados Workers' Union (BWU) in 1945, serving as its powerhouse General Secretary from 1948 until 1991. Under his disciplined leadership, the BWU became one of the most respected labor institutions in the developing world.

Walcott skillfully combined aggressive collective bargaining with social enterprise, creating worker housing schemes, holiday centers, and a labor college. He also served as President of the Senate and represented Barbados as an international delegate to the United Nations and the ILO, earning designation as a National Hero of Barbados.