NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Dozens of workers demonstrated outside Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) on Baillou Hill Road yesterday morning, indicating that the final straw was approaching before the union further agitates for the removal of the leadership team and instructs workers to cease work due to conditions becoming unbearable.
“Try the union and see if we joking,” said Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) President Kyle Wilson, flanked by scores of workers, Trade Union Congress (TUC) President Obie Ferguson and National Congress of Trade Unions of The Bahamas (NCTUB) President Bernard Evans.
“Everything is on the table. The Labour Board is on the table, the Industrial Tribunal is on the table, the Supreme Court is on the table and industrial action is on the table.”
Wilson said the union is “engulfed” in numerous legal disputes with the power company, including the validity of a voluntary separation package exercise, “questionable” salary deductions and changes to working conditions and benefits packages, among other serious work-related matters.
“We believe and understand our contract to be valid and in accordance with the law, but management is of the view that they have the right to step outside this agreement and do as they wish,” Wilson told the media.
“They abuse and trample members’ rights and have disregarded our agreement.
“These actions are a direct attack on the members’ take-home pay and careers.”
The union president pledged to “eradicate and eliminate” management’s disrespect and said a continuation of more of the same will result in the union taking action for the government to remove BPL CEO Whitney Heastie.
“This is the last day this union will tolerate mean-spirited ways and insensitive behavior from this current leadership,” Wilson added.
Labor-management relations have steadily deteriorated.
According to the union president, despite BPL’s claims of installing “protective systems”, those plans have proven unreliable and “leave a big hole in their claim of no load shedding this summer”.
He also claimed three engines, which purportedly represent 60-plus megawatts or 20 percent of total generation, remain down at the Blue Hills Power Station and will not be ready in time for the summer peak.
He said the union is tired of being blamed for power outages, and that generators constantly run out of fuel and trip.
Wilson said proper provisions have not been provided to employees working on remote islands and if the issue continues, the union will take swift action.
BPL is expected to issue a statement on the matter.
