By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
MORE than 100 BEC workers walked off the job yesterday after a union executive was suspended and another employee was terminated “without cause”.
The workers gathered at the Bahamas Electricity Corporation’s headquarters on Baillou Hill Road demanding the Prime Minister fire BEC Chairman Leslie Miller and immediately reinstate the fired employee.
Urban Smith, Vice President of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union, said the corporation fired the woman, an employee for 17 years, without a valid reason.
He also claims the suspended employee, who is also an executive in the union, was being victimised for exercising his freedom of speech.
“Two of our employees were victimised. A union executive was suspended for five days for what they call gross misconduct and it is this union’s position that in this corporation our freedom of speech is being violated.
“Where in this country is there a place where we do not have the right to voice our opinion? Why can’t we say how we feel? Only the chairman has the prerogative in this country and in this corporation to say whatever he wants to say, to whom he wants to say it, when he wants to say it?
“But when we attempt to state our opinion we are terminated? That is not right,” he said.
“They terminated one of our employees and all the letter says is that she was terminated. In a unionised corporation our agreement states that BEC stated what she is being terminated for but the corporation has said nothing. You look at her records, her appraisal forms, she is an excellent employee and here it is she is being victimized. We are standing against it. This must not happen.”
Mr Smith said if the fired employee is not reinstated immediately things will “only get worse for the corporation.”
He said: “We call upon the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister to please come and intervene immediately. We are not going to be tolerant, we are not going to wait any longer. We call upon them to act immediately. It only gets worse from here. We want her reinstated and we are asking that she be reinstated immediately. If they do not do it, I am sad to say the corporation will have to suffer the consequences. Now whatever that means, you are intelligent, you read between the lines.
“We want Leslie Miller fired. We want him gone, not tomorrow, but today. If our employee could get terminated today why can’t the chairman be fired today?”
Speaking with The Tribune, Mr Miller said the corporation has the right to “disassociate” itself from anyone in the company at any time.
He said: “It’s as simple as that. When you look at the industrial relations act anyone has the right to terminate an employee, you give them what you have for them and that’s it. I do not have to go into specifics, she was terminated, with cause.”
Mr Miller said if the workers do not return to their jobs the corporation will do what is necessary.
“If they decide to take their services away, the corporation will do what is necessary. Plenty Bahamians out there looking for jobs, thousands of them. I will not allow 600 people to run this corporation or to run this country. This corporation is owned by the people of the Bahamas, not some union members who believe they run this corporation, it will not happen as long as I’m here,” he said.
“They think they own the corporation, some of whom taking home $85,000 a year in overtime. One of the big ones who caused most of the trouble, for the last seven years, he took him $80,000 a year in overtime but he is the king. I know what his money is and that’s in addition to his about $70,000 a year in salary, you figure it out. You’ll have to appreciate why they do what they do.
“This whole thing is about the rostering and overtime and everything else, this is just them wanting an excuse to do what they have to do, they been doing it now for 30 years and it’s time now for them to stop.”
Union members met with Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis last night. Up to press time, he was not available for comment.
Comments
lazybor 11 years, 1 month ago
these are severe words! the situation is escalating...
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Tarzan 11 years ago
I pray for Mr. Miller who is trying to do the right thing. The only real solution will be to privitize the power company, so it is no longer just a political football, but right now that is a bridge too far. Mr. Miller is doing a superhuman and thankless job of trying to seize control of this critical engine of national infrastructure which has been exploited for the benefit of a few for far too long. He deserves our total support.
concernedcitizen 11 years ago
well said ,i,m not PLP but i support any MP ,that does right ,as i think Obie does in tourism ..We built these overstaffed corps for votes ,but now they are putting all of our livelyhoods at risk ..pension them off and bring in SGI w/ their power barges ,,WAY TO GO POTCAKE !!!!!!
proudloudandfnm 11 years ago
Leslie needs to fire every sinlge one that walked off! Id he does that I'd vote for him to be PM next election!!
Time to stop these ignorant unions from holding us hostage. Someone got fired, so what? Union gonna trun off our power now? If they do I hope someone goes to jail!
Fire all of them Leslie! And stop all overtime immediately....
concernedcitizen 11 years ago
my hats off to Miller ,no don,t let PGC get involved he will cave to their extortion ..
Ironvelvet 11 years ago
Let's go Leslie Millier! I'm a big FNM, but right is right. I'm on Miller's side. Get 'em. Fire these people and get people in there who want to work. Miller you seem like a true leader, continue as such sir. Implement the shift system today! In the words of the union, not tomorrow, today. Stop this overtime. Everytime the current is turned off without evidenced cause, fire all those on shift. We'll see how much our neighbor is responsible for each other's actions then.
Don't worry about the support of the union, you have the support of the Bahamian people, the true bosses of BEC...and we say to fire them! Miller has been very patient and has tried to negotiate with idiots who only want to delay the process. You gave them a chance Miller, now its your time.
bismark 11 years ago
Mr miller deserves our support for having the courage to do what every other chairman failed to do,fire their backsides
UserOne 11 years ago
Mr. Miller needs to pay his electricity bill before he tells other people to cut back. Maybe then they will listen. The best leaders lead by example.
concernedcitizen 11 years ago
i say if Miller gets them in line give him a lifetime 25% discount on his BEC bill at Marios ,,Potcake you got my vote if i ever live in your district and i,m FNM
ayatollah 11 years ago
lets go mr miller get rid of the lot of them
turtlepond 11 years ago
mr. miller i totally agree..fire them if they don't wanna listen.
USAhelp 11 years ago
Mr Miller you have the support of all hard working people. Don't let a few stop you
bismark 11 years ago
I really don't care what bill Mr Leslie Miller has,as far as Im concerned he is the Chairman of B.E.C like it or not,Mr Miller you have my full support,this what B.E.C NEEDED!!!!!!!and when you finish with B.E.C you need to come into the public service and clean that up,get rid of all of those people who are just collecting a salary and are way past their retirement time,there are countless young people out there looking for employment.
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