NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Prime Minister Philip Davis on Tuesday night accused union leaders of undermining good-faith talks through “grandstanding and public drama,” insisting that his government has done right by Bahamian workers and will “not be bullied” into bad-faith negotiations.
Prime Minister Davis also announced the release of the long-awaited Salary Review for Middle Management and Technical Officers (May 2025) and reaffirming his government’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and respect in public service compensation.
Addressing recent tensions with public sector unions, the Prime Minister said he chose to speak directly to the nation to clear up confusion surrounding the salary review and ongoing discussions with union leaders. “While we were still at the table, one of the union leaders made a public threat to call a national strike if I did not agree to the terms being demanded,” Davis said. “Now, I understand emotions and frustration, but when both sides are still talking, the respectful thing to do is to finish the conversation.”
He emphasized that the salary review process was initiated by his government, not by the unions, as part of his administration’s effort to ensure every public officer is paid fairly for their work. “I did it because I believed Bahamian workers deserved more. That is how we got to this moment,” he said.
According to the Prime Minister, the review—now publicly available—represents the most comprehensive assessment of public service pay in decades, examining “every grade, every scale, every allowance, and every increment.” He noted that while the initial report focused on middle management and technical officers, “the same methodology will be applied to ensure increases are extended across the wider public service. This includes our teachers, whose hard work and dedication continue to shape the future of this nation.”
Davis said the findings confirm that since his government took office in 2021, public officers have received consistent salary increases, with entry-level workers benefiting most. He stressed that the delay in implementing some adjustments “was not a cash flow problem” but an administrative process to ensure accuracy and fairness for more than 15,000 officers.
“I want to reassure every public servant that you will be paid before Christmas,” Davis said.
The Prime Minister also made clear that his duty extends beyond any single group: “The union leaders have to do their jobs, to represent their members. But I have to do mine, to represent all Bahamians.”
Rejecting what he described as “grandstanding and public drama,” Davis said, “This situation is not about a grievance. It is about the Government doing what is right by its workers. Workers should always be beneficiaries of our negotiations but never pawns when we disagree.”
Reflecting on his upbringing in a trade union family, the Prime Minister called for a renewed spirit of partnership. “My mother and father were trade unionists. They fought for fairness and helped shape a better Bahamas. But we must remember something: progress comes from partnership, not confrontation.”
He underscored that real progress depends on mutual respect and reasoned dialogue: “I don’t believe in shouting matches or grandstanding. ‘Cussing and carrying on’ don’t work for Brave. Real progress happens when grown men and women sit down, listen, and reason with each other.”
Davis reaffirmed that his administration remains committed to labour law reform, continued dialogue with unions, and a modernized framework for fair compensation and worker protection. “We didn’t increase pay to score points,” he said. “We did it because it was time—because Bahamian workers deserved it.”
Bahamas National Alliance and Trade Union Congress President Belinda Wilson in a message to her membership Tuesday night described the address as an “attack” and urged them to march onto Bay Street, wile workers in Grand Bahama were urged to gather outside the Office of the Prime Minister, and those in other islands to remain home in solidarity.
