WIFOL President Theophilus Thompson
PHILIPSBURG--Workers Institute for Organized Labour (WIFOL President Theophilus Thompson has responded to allegations concerning his leadership of WIFOL, telling The Daily Herald that the union is undergoing restructuring and that a Congress is being planned for October to decide on its executive leadership.
Thompson sat down with The Daily Herald to address allegations raised by WIFOL co-founder René Richardson and other members, including claims that the union has gone more than a decade without a Congress or Board elections and that members have not received adequate financial accountability.
While rejecting the allegations, Thompson said WIFOL is currently focused on rebuilding and strengthening the organisation. He said about 50 workers are presently receiving training at the WIFOL building to prepare them for different positions and leadership responsibilities within the union. “Right now we are going through a restructuring of the organisation,” Thompson said.
He explained that the restructuring followed changes in the union's membership and the wider workforce after Hurricane Irma, when a number of companies closed and many workers lost their jobs. Thompson said the training is intended to prepare people for leadership because WIFOL's leadership is collective rather than centred on one person.
He said the training is being held every week and is being conducted by legal professionals and people involved in the trade union movement and international rights.
He also addressed questions about whether he intends to seek another leadership position at the upcoming Congress. Thompson said workers continue to approach him and ask him to remain president and indicated that he is willing to continue if the mandate is given.
“The workers always approach me and tell me they want me to be president,” he said.
Thompson said he believes he continues to have the support of WIFOL's membership.
“I was elected in 1983 and since then every three years I’ve been elected,” he said, adding that the last election was in 2014 and that an election had been expected in the year that Hurricane Irma hit the island.
With the planned Congress, Thompson said the organisation is now working to get its leadership structure and operations back on track. The Congress is expected to determine who will hold the executive leadership positions, including the president, general secretary and treasurer.
Thompson said the restructuring is also taking place as WIFOL continues to address cases involving workers' rights. He said the union has had about four court cases against companies since the beginning of the year.
He pointed to a recent case involving a security company, saying the workers received a favourable verdict and the company was ordered to pay them from the time they were laid off last year.
Thompson said the Congress is expected to take place by October, based on the union's schedule. One of its main purposes will be to determine WIFOL's executive leadership.
“At the congress, it will be decided who will be the executive leadership of the organisation,” he said, explaining that the executive leadership consists of the president, general secretary and treasurer.
The Board consists of seven people, Thompson said. The planned Congress is particularly significant in light of the allegations raised by Richardson and other members, who have accused Thompson of continuing to serve as president without a valid electoral mandate.
In a March 25, 2026 letter, members alleged that WIFOL had not held the general meetings required under its Articles of Incorporation for more than 10 years. They also questioned the absence of Board elections and financial statements. A group of members subsequently requested a Special General Meeting in a May 7, 2026 letter.
Thompson rejected the allegations and said the people making them do not have an accurate picture of the current organisation.
Regarding claims that he had failed to respond to correspondence, Thompson said that was not true. He said that since entering politics Richardson had not been involved in WIFOL and therefore was not familiar with how the organisation had changed.
He said Hurricane Irma resulted in significant changes to the organisation and that the WIFOL building was rebuilt afterward.
Thompson also rejected allegations concerning the rental of space at the WIFOL building and claims that rental income was being pocketed. “That is false and a lie,” he said adding that because he union lost a lot of companies and contribution from workers to maintain the facility rental fees goes towards what has been lost in membership fees.
According to Thompson, the organisation currently has about 1,500 members.
