The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

UNION executives yesterday expressed disappointment with the state of labour relations in the country which they say are at an all-time low.

At a press conference yesterday, National Congress of Trade Unions of the Bahamas (NCTUB) officials said there is a growing trend of top-ranking executives at government agencies using “union busting” and bullying tactics to intimidate workers.

The umbrella union said the situation has affected staff morale and called upon officials to “cease and desist”.

Their comments come as the Minnis administration continues to face union unrest, with several protests seen at several governmental agencies over the last several weeks.

On Monday, dozens of BPL staff walked off the job in a show of solidarity against executive management who they say have disrespected and mistreated staff among other things.

Two weeks earlier, members of the Union of Central Bankers demonstrated outside the building’s parking lot, citing unresolved grievances with management.

Yesterday, NCTUB president Bernard Evans told reporters the recent demonstrations show there is disharmony and growing unrest in the workplace, saying workers have reached their “boiling point”.

“We have reached a point in our history that these board appointments by way of the government. . . have no respect for law and order meaning our Constitution under the Industrial Relations Act. They either have no knowledge and act in ignorance and believe these boards are their personal arrangement and they can do what they want and talk to us how they wish,” said Mr Evans while insisting union members are not protesting for political or personal gain.

“But we are not asking for anything special. We are asking you to follow the law. We are asking you to respect the tenets of the agreements that you have signed as the employer and we have signed on the behalf of the employees. That’s what we’re asking for.”

Mr Evans said senior executives have forgotten their roles and duties to the Bahamian people, who, he said, are the ones who put them in their high-ranking positions and also have the power to remove them.

“… Mr Prime Minister, I know and I hope and I know it’s not you, but your board appointments and chairmen and whatnot have apparently usurped power to disrespect workers in this country. They forgot they work for us and that we put them there, but we have not forgotten that we have the power to remove,” he continued.

He then went on to criticise Central Bank representatives who he claimed “threatened” to sue union president Theresa Thompson for defamation of character in a letter emailed to her last month.

Ms Thompson had demonstrated along with workers last month due to ongoing concerns with management that included alleged breach of employees’ contracts.

“We have the president of the Central Bank (union) here, Ms Theresa Thompson and this is a young lady who rose up among the ranks and decided to have a press conference in the parking lot and to share some of the concerns her members have been agitating for a while,” Mr Evans said.

“… She made a statement about the governor of Central Bank... they didn’t like it and they got a lawyer - (allegedly) paid out of the monies that we have contributed by taxpayers - to write her a letter in her person, not as president… to say we’re gonna sue you for defamation of character.

“What did she say? What did she say that is not already public knowledge? Are you hurt that she said that you were building two buildings or projects while benefits are still outstanding?

“… If we allow the governor of the Central Bank to attack our dear sister and say she cannot speak or she will face the consequences. What manner of man is this that you would challenge a woman who standing up for her people? That is shameful, distasteful and absolutely wrong.”

For her part, Ms Thompson, who was also present at yesterday’s press conference, told reporters she wrote to several government officials, including the Labour Minister on the matter, but has not yet received a response.

“I have even contacted my MP for someone to bring some closure or arbitration to this matter, but I have not heard from anyone and to date, I cannot comment on anything else. The Union of Central Bankers have legal representation and we just want you to know that we are still in negotiations and we still have the issues... that’s where the focus should be and not trying to quiet the president down,” she said.

NTCUB said the members are hoping some of the union’s concerns are addressed as early as next week.

“We’ve had enough,” Mr Evans said. “A message needs to be sent to these persons that the Constitution, the (Industrial Relations Act) itself and the industrial agreement need to be adhered to.”