Photo | The Tribune

TUC chief: Labour law reform ‘unlikely’ before next election

The Trades Union Congress’s (TUC) president yesterday said it was “highly unlikely” that the controversial labour law reforms will be enacted before the upcoming general election, with little progress in negotiations at the National Tripartite Council.

Tripartite Council ‘serves no purpose’

The Trade Union Congress’s (TUC) president has vowed to pursue the its grievance against Sandals Royal Bahamian’s termination of 600 employees to its “logical conclusion”, arguing that the Attorney General’s decision to nullify their case against the resort’s top executives had put workers in a ‘frightening” position.

‘Only acceptable resolution is giving staff back their jobs’

TRADE Union Congress President Obie Ferguson said the only resolution he is willing to accept in the ongoing Sandals labour dispute is the reinstatement of all the former employees made redundant earlier this month.

President of union to sue Sandals

TRADE Union Congress President and attorney for the Bahamas Hotel Maintenance and Allied Workers Union Obie Ferguson said he will file a writ today in the Supreme Court on behalf of the more than 600 terminated Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort workers for “union busting” and “unfair dismissal”.

Union chief: We may campaign against PLP

FRUSTRATED unionists may campaign against the Progressive Liberal Party ahead of the next general election, Trade Union Congress President Obie Ferguson suggested yesterday.

Union chief considers end to compulsory gratuities

THE concept of 15 per cent gratuity automatically being paid to some workers needs to be “reassessed,” said Trade Union Congress President Obie Ferguson.

Call to more than double minimum wage for workers

OBIE Ferguson, the Trade Union Congress president, wants the government to increase the minimum wage of the average Bahamian worker, which currently stand at $150 per week. Mr Ferguson said $30 per day is totally unacceptable: workers, he said, should be paid between $350 to $375 on a weekly basis.

Union on 'high alert' for three-day strike action

HUNDREDS of Bahamian workers are on high alert as they await a decision from union executives as to when a three-day strike will start.

Sheraton managers seek 'strike vote'

A trade union chief said he will today write to the Minister of Labour seeking permission for a ‘strike vote’ by his 70 members at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort, describing the way in which their work hours had been cut 50 per cent as “ridiculous”.

Industrial unrest brews at Sheraton

Industrial unrest appeared to be brewing at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort last night, a trade union warning the resort to “avoid unintended consequences” over moves to reduce work hours for middle management staff.

$165k award 'could not be better timed' for ex-Pioneer staff

A $165,000-plus award of past due redundancy pay “could not have come at a better time” for nine former Pioneer Shipping employees, following a “very significant” Court of Appeal ruling.

'Significant' ruling defines manager staff

A leading unionist yesterday described as “very significant” a ruling in which the Court of Appeal changed its mind, as it helped to define who was a ‘managerial’ employee.

Sandals staff consider strike action

REPRESENTATIVES of line-staff at the Sandals Royal Bahamian resort met last night to decide when its membership will initiate strike action, union chief Obie Ferguson said yesterday.

Staff at Sandals vote in favour of strike action

UNIONISED Sandals Royal Bahamian employees await a strike certificate after more than 200 workers voted for industrial action at the resort.

Union accuses Sandals of year-long 'bad faith'

The TRADE Union Congress (TUC) president yesterday accused management at Sandals Royal Bahamian of refusing to negotiate an industrial agreement in good faith with the Bahamas Hotel, Maintenance & Allied Workers Union, for more than a year.

'Complete overhaul' for labour dispute resolution needed

The Bahamas needs “a complete overhaul” of its labour dispute resolution processes, a top union leader has argued, while backing US government concerns over weak enforcement of solutions to these matters.

TUC president hits back at private sector on work permits

THE private sector’s uproar over the government’s work permit policies were described yesterday as “strange” and “regressive”, a union leader emphasising that Bahamians must be considered first for all available jobs.

Act changes to eliminate Industrial Tribunal 'conflict'

Planned legal amendments will eliminate a ‘potential conflict’ that requires the Industrial Tribunal to act “as judge, jury and executioner” over industrial agreements, a union leader yesterday telling Tribune Business that “90 per cent” of these deals were not registered.

Union president backs oil driller

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) president yesterday gave conditional backing to oil exploration in Bahamian waters, adding that his organisation and the unions under it were prepared to buy shares in the Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC).

Unions seek 'priority creditor' status for worker severance pay

Trade unions yesterday urged that the Employment Act be changed to treat workers and their severance pay as leading, secured creditors when their employer goes into liquidation/bankruptcy, thus preventing a repeat of the “absolutely catastrophic and devastating” City Markets situation.

Employers face no 'financial situation' from act reforms

A trade union leader believes employers are “overreacting” to proposed Employment Act reforms, telling Tribune Business the changes would not create “a financial situation” and instead be “cheaper” for Bahamian companies in the long-term.

Unions push for ILO Convention 87 to come into law

Trade unions are again pushing for an International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention allowing workers to join the union of their choice to be ratified into Bahamian law, with the Minister of Labour having shown “willingness” to do just that.

Customs union adviser in call for 'urgency'

ATTORNEY Obie Ferguson yesterday said the decision by Labour minister Dion Foulkes to simply refer the dispute involving the Bahamas Customs, Immigration and Allied Workers Union (BCIAWU) to the Industrial Tribunal was "not adequate", telling Tribune Business the matter also needed to be expedited given its sensitivity.

The Tribune

Stories this photo appears in: