NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Negotiations between the Union of Tertiary Educators of The Bahamas (UTEB) and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) have been significantly challenged, according to UTEB president Daniel Thompson.
Thompson said three sessions have been held since negotiations on an Industrial Agreement began on September 16, 2022.
In a press statement, he argued that BTVI’s team appeared to be powerless to engage in any meaningful discourse to conclude agreements.
“They appear to be mere surrogates that take notes which shows that there is no real interest in the concerns and challenges being posed,” Thompson said.
“As a result, BTVI’s team is unable to justify its stance on the basic definitional matters such as defining who are faculty, the inability or unwillingness to provide the current salary scales, and unwillingness to share the quoted BTVI Strategic Plan, and the results of the Human Resource study paid for with our taxpayers’ money. This information is being withheld as if these documents should be shrouded in secrecy.
Thompson said he encouraged the “Powers that Be” to ensure negotiations were approached in “good faith”.
“For when the nucleus of the institute, which is the faculty, feel valued, then all stakeholders will benefit,” he added.
