The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS


Tribune Staff Reporter


lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

MORE than 600 union members across New Providence and the Family Islands are set to benefit from a new five-year industrial agreement valued at approximately $10 million, following months of negotiations between the Airport Authority and the Bahamas Public Sector and Health Professionals Union.

The agreement replaces a previous contract that expired in July 2025 and introduces a wide range of financial and workplace improvements aimed at boosting staff welfare, morale, and productivity.

Key benefits include salary increases, lump-sum payments, cost-of-living adjustments, salary loans for employees in financial difficulty, and enhanced leave provisions, including increased sick leave, vacation leave, compassionate leave, and birthday leave. Employees will also benefit from higher shift premiums, overtime meal vouchers, banking of hours, and performance-based compensation measures.

The agreement also strengthens internal policies on productivity and disciplinary procedures, while placing greater emphasis on performance accountability and service delivery standards across the Airport Authority.

Negotiations began in February last year and formally concluded several weeks ago, with final details completed shortly before signing.

Airport Authority Board Chairman Paul Bevans said the agreement reflects shared commitment and progress across all parties, noting it strengthens trust, improves working conditions, and supports the continued development of the country’s airports.

Managing Director Peter Rutherford described the deal as a key milestone following lengthy negotiations, adding that it provides a framework for fairness, accountability, and improved performance standards. He also stressed that employees remain the organisation’s most important asset and central to delivering quality service.

“Today marks an important milestone for the airport authority. After a long and at times challenging negotiation process, we finally arrive at a place of agreement, one that reflects commitment compromise and a shared vision for the future,” he said.

Union President LaTonya Symonette said the agreement delivers significant gains for workers, particularly in salaries, benefits, and financial support mechanisms such as salary loans. She said the changes are expected to boost morale and productivity across the workforce.

Ms Symonette also emphasised that the agreement was not imposed on members. She said workers were regularly updated throughout the process and were allowed to review the proposed package before ultimately approving it.

“One of the things that I want to say is that on the heels of the general election, this contract was not a contract that was forced. This contract was a contract that we took our time with, as I indicated,” she said yesterday.

“This contract was put in place from February of last year, and so it took some time in terms of ensuring that what the membership was getting, there were things, and then there were dialogues. One of the things that this union is most proud of is the fact that our members were part of this, so our members were not in the dark. They didn't get to know what was in their agreement; they got to see it.”

Ms Symonette also highlighted that she is the first female president of the union to sign an industrial agreement, following previous leaders John Pinder and Kimsley Ferguson.

Officials said the agreement is expected to strengthen operations at the Airport Authority while improving working conditions and service delivery across all airports.