“How are workers going to survive? You’re looking at 20 months that those employees would be out of work”
TUC and affiliates to hold meeting on union engagement and question of mandatory vaccinations today
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A prominent trade union leader yesterday slammed as “absolutely incredible” Sandals Resort International’s decision to push the reopening of its Royal Bahamian resort back to November 4.
Back in March, the company had announced via its website that the Royal Bahamian resort would reopen on May 1. The resort had previously been slated to reopen on January 28, but that reopening date was pushed back to March 31. The company’s website now indicates that Royal Bahamian will reopen on November 4. The company’s Emerald Bay, Exuma, property reopened in late February.
Trade Union Congress (TUC) President Obie Ferguson, speaking briefly with Eyewitness News last night, questioned: “How are workers going to survive? You’re looking at 20 months that those employees would be out of work. That is absolutely incredible.”
He added: “What is so distressing is that the unions have not been engaged in the process at all. The unions are not being recognized. I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Ferguson said the issue is one of several to be discussed during a meeting of the TUC and its affiliates this morning at BCPOU Hall.
“That is something we are going to be discussing,” he said.
“We are also going to be looking at this issue of mandatory employee vaccinations. That is a serious matter. It’s unconstitutional. It’s a threat to democracy and we can’t support that.”
Last week, the issue came to the fore when Mayu Holdings Limited, the company operating as Sushi Rokkan, said all employees are required to get vaccinated no later than June 30, 2021.
Management noted that failure to comply with the mandatory vaccination policy may lead to “disciplinary action being taken, which could result in dismissal or at the very least re-assignment to another position — if such can be found — minimizing direct and proximate contact with the public”.
Director of Labour John Pinder has stated that the policy was unlawful.
The restaurant is jointly owned by Michael Scott, QC, and his wife.
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