The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A UNION leader yesterday asserted it was “ridiculous” that almost 48,000 Bahamian workers, or nearly one in every five members of the labour force, are either unemployed or under-employed and warned that “anarchy” will result if persons cannot feed their families.

Obie Ferguson KC, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) president, voiced concern to Tribune Business that The Bahamas will face “serious, serious problems” if the relatively low national jobless rate of 8.7 percent fails to translate into equitable benefits spread more evenly throughout the workforce.

While the Labour Force Survey for the 2025 third and fourth quarters contained encouraging signs, with the national unemployment rate stable at below 9 percent for last year’s second half despite the annual influx of several thousand school leavers into the workforce over the summer, some data also signalled continued inequality among working Bahamians when it comes to hours, salaries and employment quality.

While the increase in employment slightly outpaced the labour force’s expansion during the 2025 second half, a deeper dive into the Bahamas National Statistical Institute (BNSI) reveals that more than 50,000 Bahamian workers are struggling in some form when the 2,640 discouraged persons - those who have given up seeking jobs because they believe nothing suitable is available - are also factored in. Besides the 21,465 unemployed Bahamians recorded in the 2025 fourth quarter, who are persons actively looking for jobs but unable to find them, the Institute’s quarterly survey found an even greater number are under-employed. These are persons wanting to earn more income, and work more hours, often being employed in part-time jobs but unable to find the opportunities for more.

“There were 26,195 underemployed persons in the fourth quarter of 2025, representing individuals who were working part-time and were available for and seeking additional hours of work,” the Institute confirmed. This means that 10.6 percent of the Bahamian workforce, or more than one in every ten workers, wants increased hours and extra wages but has yet to achieve.

And, when this figure is added to the 21,465 who are unemployed, some 47,660 Bahamians - 19.3 percent, close to one in every five workers - are likely dissatisfied with their lot. Describing this as “ridiculous”, Mr Ferguson told this newspaper that the under-employed figure especially is “a very big number”.

The TUC president said: “Some people are having to try to find two or more jobs. I know of cases where house maids or domestic maids are working two jobs just to make ends meet. What needs to happen in The Bahamas, and I’ve been crying for and asking all the social partners, let labour and capital build a basis for co-existence.

“The worker has the labour and the employer has the capital and entrepreneurial skills. We have to find a way to work together in the interests of this country. Other than that, at some point there will be a crisis. We will have a crisis if we continue doing what we are doing. We cannot have only one set of people benefiting. Where we are today is of some concern.”

Speaking further to the problems of under-employment, Mr Ferguson added: “It’s ridiculous. Obviously it’s going to continue to have an effect on our economy and society. Eventually, what is going to happen if we do not take account of these things, we are going to be in serious, serious problems when a Bahamian man cannot take care of his family or feed his family or a single parent, a mother, cannot feed their children.

“Anarchy will start, and nobody in this little country of ours will be safe if we do not manage the problem. One out of ten [under-employed], that is ridiculous. That is very serious, very, very serious, and we’ll have to address it and have to address it collectively. There’s no one man band that can solve this kind of problem. We are all players in the economic circle, and those players must all be allowed to play fairly in the whole economic process.”

Acknowledging that unemployment, too, is “a very, very major issue” for similar reasons to under-employment, Mr Ferguson reiterated: “If you cannot assist or feed your family then there’s a tendency to become involved in anti-social activities like breaking into homes, stealing, that type of thing. The number of 21,500 Bahamians who are unemployed is very significant.”

The Institute, unveiling its latest Labour Force Survey findings for the 2025 third and fourth quarter, said: “The number of unemployed persons totaled 21,465 in the fourth quarter, representing a slight decrease from the third quarter. Although the number of unemployed persons declined, the national unemployment rate remained unchanged at 8.7 percent.

“The unemployment rate among males increased slightly between the third and fourth quarters, while the unemployment rate among females declined over the same period. Youth unemployment remained unchanged at 18.2 percent.

“The number of discouraged workers declined to 2,640 persons in the fourth quarter, representing a decrease of 475 persons (15.2 percent) compared with the third quarter. This indicates that fewer persons remained outside the labour force because they believed suitable employment opportunities were unavailable.”

Youth unemployment in The Bahamas has always hovered around 20 percent, with one in five aged between 15 and 24 years-old seeking work but unable to find it. “Over the same period, employment increased by 3,450 persons, rising from 222,575 in the third quarter to 226,025 in the fourth quarter. The labour force also expanded by 3,350 persons, with growth in the female labour force accounting for the majority of the overall increase,” the Institute added.

“Growth in the female labour force, which increased by 2,335 persons (2 percent), accounted for 70.3 percent of the overall increase. Employment rose by 3,450 persons (1.5 percent) during the period, reaching 226,025 employed persons in the fourth quarter. Employment among males increased by 710 persons to 114,095, while employment among females grew by 2,740 persons to 111,530.

“Persons aged 25 to 54 years accounted for 65.4 percent of total employment, and contributed 84 percent of the overall increase in employment. Employment among youth aged 15 to 24 years also increased by 1,425 persons (20.6 percent).”

The Institute, identifying where the jobs came from, added: “Employment growth was led by the craft and related trades workers, plant and machine operators and assemblers occupational group, which recorded the largest increase between the third and fourth quarters. The professional, science and engineering professionals occupational group recorded the second-largest increase.

“Among females, the largest employment gain occurred in the service workers and shop and market sales workers occupational group, while among males the largest increase occurred in the craft and related trades workers, plant and machine operators and assemblers occupational group.

“By industry, the largest increase in employment occurred in community, social and personal services, followed by financing, insurance, real estate and other business services. Community, social and personal services also recorded the largest employment gains for both males and females during the period.”