The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Baldwin Spencer will be the keynote speaker this year at the Bermuda Industrial Union’s annual Labour Day Banquet.According to BIU president Chris Furbert, the prime minister “has been a friend of the BIU for over 30 years because of his involvement with trade unionism”.Prior to leading the United Progressive Party to a landslide victory in the general election in March 2004, Mr Spencer was “rooted in labour”, as the first vice president of the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union.He also served as president of the Caribbean Maritime and Aviation Council and “spent over a quarter of a century in labour negotiations, serving in the highest positions in the trade union movement”.It was also noted in the press statement that Mr Spencer “played an integral role in the formation of the United Progressive Party”.He also served as leader of the United National Democratic Party and “spearheaded collaborative meetings with the Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement that resulted in the formation of the UPP. He first entered parliament in 1989 representing the people in the St John’s Rural West Constituency and was the leader of the opposition until his party’s historic victory in 2004”.The banquet on August 31 will again be held at the Fairmont Southampton Resort.Tickets may be obtained at the BIU or via e-mail to lfurbert@biu.bm at $100 each.There will also be a host of activities on tap for Labour Day to be celebrated this year on Monday, September 3.