The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

ALMOST a dozen Customs and Immigration Officers were “replaced or sent home” yesterday after they refused to work their assigned shifts at Odyssey Aviation and the Arawak Cay Container Port.

One of the workers, The Tribune understands, was escorted off the Container Port’s property by police officers after she was sent home for the day, but refused to leave the property.

Despite a court ruling and a warning from Labour Minister Shane Gibson that Customs and Immigration officers must adhere to a new shift system, the workers continued to show up to work their 9am-5pm shifts.

Codero Edgecome, Sergeant-at-Arms in the Bahamas Customs and Immigration and Allied Workers Union, said the workers will not work the shift system because it is not legal.

“What happened was, when the staff went to work, the assistant controller assigned people to deal with anyone that came in after or before their shifts. Officers came to work at 9am even though they were scheduled to work from 8am. When they arrived they were told, they were being replaced and were not permitted to work,” he said.

“Another woman was escorted off of the premises by five police officers, all because she showed up for a shift that was not her shift. They rostered her for an evening shift so when she showed up at 9am they escorted her off the premises. They are trying to force them to work this shift system because of the industrial agreement, but that contravenes with the law. So we are going to do whatever is necessary to uphold the law and what happens from here happens.”

Mr Edgecombe said the union is meeting today to file an appeal against a court ruling ordering them to remain on the shift system.

He said they will also decide what the union’s next move will be.

Labour Minister Shane Gibson said those customs and immigration workers who do not adhere to the shift system will face pay cuts.

He added that the union could not legally act on its strike vote because the matter had been referred to the Industrial Tribunal.

“Officers that are not working their assigned shift, for those officers who showed up at 9am when they were supposed to show up at 4pm.

If you didn’t work, you cannot expect to be paid,” Mr Gibson said.