The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PUBLIC Service Minister Fred Mitchell has condemned the actions taken by members of the Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU) at the House of Assembly last week, saying it was “unnecessary and disrespectful” for the union to confront acting Prime Minister Chester Cooper on the steps outside Parliament in a hostile fashion.

In a voice note released on Friday, Mr Mitchell admonished the BPSU over the way it handled the situation, saying all matters of concern could have been dealt with privately.

He also said the Davis administration was a government that acted on civility and not hostility, suggesting the union’s demonstration on Wednesday was the wrong course of action to take.

“You will all remember from the start that the government’s position has been one of seeking to solve labour issues. In fact, all contracts were settled but for one or two,” Mr Mitchell said.

“The main outstanding one, of course, is that of the general public service. Ministers were being stopped by public servants asking why the delay. The delay was not due to anything on the government side. We were ready, but it appears that it was driven by some other agenda or reasons.”

He continued: “The social partner wanted to pick a public fight. The government, the ministers, the negotiators were not interested in a public fight, and they are not now. On Wednesday past, a display, where they confronted the deputy prime minister on the steps in the street in a hostile fashion, was unnecessary and disrespectful - a matter and matters which can be settled privately.

“All of those things could have been done privately. The Ministry of Public Service, of course, is nonplussed as to what is actually in fact outstanding. The fact is, in December, when the pay packet comes, employees of the public service will receive the remunerations which are due and settled in full.”

The Tribune reported last month that the government had presented its proposal on salary increases to BPSU, which among other raises, would see over 2,000 public officers receive higher wages.

However, BPSU president Kimsley Ferguson has called the government’s proposal unacceptable and a “slap in the face,” claiming it was made without the union’s consultation.

The union president also said it was unfair that some members of the public service were getting higher salary increases than others.

He made the comments during Wednesday’s demonstration outside Parliament and reiterated them again during a press conference on Friday, where he also responded to Mr Mitchell’s criticisms of the union’s action.

During Friday’s interview, Mr Ferguson defended the protest, saying it was the only way to get the government’s attention as their calls to officials had gone unanswered.

“During the course of time when this administration was in opposition, they would answer your call on the second ring. Today, you call their phones, they don’t answer at all,” the BPSU president contended.

“…And so, when we are unable to get you via phone or get a response from you on communications that we would have sent, then we have to come where you are.”

He also noted that contrary to reports, the union has yet to begin negotiations with the government on the proposed industrial agreement and called on the ministers responsible for the public service to come to the table to start the negotiating process.

“In response to what I heard the substantive Minister for Public Service indicate that some public fight was picked and there was a misrepresentation of the facts regarding the public service negotiations, I want to invite the substantive Minister of the Public Service and the Minister of State for the Public Service to give dates and times when the Bahamas Public Service Union would have met,” Mr Ferguson said.

“Now we have Amendment 2017 of the Industrial Relations Act that suggests upon receipt of a proposal from a recognised trade union, it says that the union and the employer shall meet to commence collective bargaining. I want to restate and reiterate that it never took place.”

He also said: “The government met with every other trade union, and I can say that for a fact because all of my other colleagues would have made me aware of the days on which they would have been negotiating. We have yet to sit to the table and commence our negotiations process.”

As for whether the union has plans to take industrial action, Mr Ferguson said the decision will ultimately be up to members.

“We do not wish to disrupt services anywhere,” he added, “but when we find that there is a misrepresentation of the facts concerning particular individuals and the benefits that they can receive by the signing of the various industrial agreements, persons are now aware of the truth concerning why funding is not being received.”