The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Utilities Service and Allied Workers Union (BUWASU) President Dwayne Woods “threatened a total shut down” yesterday as he accused Water & Sewerage Corporation (WSC) executives of attempting to decrease the union’s influence by rolling back a number of benefits.

He said this breaches the Industrial Relations Act, the Employment Act and the industrial agreement made between WSC and the union. According to Mr Woods, WSC has failed to pay union members overtime for restoration work in Abaco where they were forced to carry out their duties in “unsavoury and unsanitary conditions.”

The BUWASU president also said WSC has not paid “regular overtime” for workers in New Providence and the Family Islands for over four months.

Speaking to reporters during a demonstration at WSC headquarters yesterday, Mr Woods said the union was “upset and appalled” at the behaviour of the corporation’s executives, namely the executive chairman and general manager.

“They are ignoring, disregarding and blatantly disrespecting the union’s membership by rolling back benefits that are contained within the industrial agreement ranging from: failure to meet and complete grievances at the general manager’s level –stage four of the grievance procedure; (to the) discontinuation of responsibility allowance payment which is now 13 months overdue.”

Mr Woods also accused WSC of conducting “unfamiliar methods of promotion,” of which the union is unaware.

“This is 10 months overdue and if you recall we have a strike certificate in hand that we will use in short order,” he stated.

“We have a membership of about 310 and if you look around you’ll see the management union is also supporting us so this might be a total shutdown from Bimini to Inagua.

Listing other grievances of the union, he added: “Clerk II (employees) are being disenfranchised by the hiring of Clerk I (positions) without internal advertisement with total disregard to the industrial agreement which (says) if a vacancy exists it must be advertised before you can go externally. This is six months overdue.

“Heartless and merciless deductions of our employees’ salary for travel allowance claim without authorisation, notice or a meeting to discuss the matter on a case-by-case basis, despite some claims being submitted and were lost due to management’s carelessness and callousness. Although managers confirmed that the members travelled and performed their duties, the funds were still deducted at the end of January after a long pay period.”

Mr Woods said WSC executives have also failed to submit their industrial agreement counter proposal despite numerous extension requests granted by the union.

“The union submitted its industrial agreement to the corporation since May 21, 2019 and the corporation had promised to submit their counter proposal in September 2019.

“They then requested an extension to the period November 3-10, 2019 due to Hurricane Dorian. Subsequently, two additional extensions were requested November 14 and 22, 2019. To date, we have neither received the counter proposal from the Water and Sewerage Corporation nor had the opportunity for a meeting as requested by the union.”

Mr Woods said he believes one of “root” problems of the issue is the “structural collapse” of the corporation’s Human Resources Department in the absence of two key managers. He also said it appears as if the executive chairman is “micro-managing” the corporation and blocking executives from “effectively” performing in their capacities.

Mr Woods said the union is appealing to WSC stakeholders in an effort to “re-establish monthly meetings to address and resolve their grievances.”

As for his shut down threat, Mr Woods apologised to the general public for any inconveniences that may occur while the union attempts to resolve these issues. Asked how soon the union plans to use its strike certificate he added: “We are here today and we expect results today. If we don’t get no results, then we will up the ante.

“Everyday go by, you will find that there is some action (done) by this union until our matters are resolved. We are on reduced enthusiasm which encompasses work-to-rule.

“Our last meeting with management was so long I don’t remember. They failed to meet as we said. What they keep doing is every time we have set meetings they move the goal post.

“We can’t win the game with them moving the goal post because we can’t score. So it results in reduced enthusiasm at the moment and we pray and hope that it don’t get to withdrawal of enthusiasm, but it is clear that we have to do what we have to do.”

Attempts to reach Works Minister Desmond Bannister were unsuccessful. WSC Executive Chairman Adrian Gibson also could not be reached up to press time.