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Last Updated: Feb 6, 2017 - 2:32:04 PM |
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SSAU, The Bahamas - Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell and Grand Bahama Minister Michael Darville received high praise from the Industrial Union on the role they played in resolving a long standing labour dispute between the management of Quality Services and its unionised employees.
Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Grand Bahama, Mr. Lionel Morley, president of the Industrial Union, the bargaining agent for employees at Quality Services said that he was “elated that the Ministers – the honourable Minister for Immigration and Grand Bahama showed tremendous resilience with regard to using everything in their power to ensure that both parties begin the process around the table as opposed to on the streets.”
He said that while negotiations placed his union “in a much better place,” he remains “cautiously optimistic” as this dispute was ongoing as far back as 1983. He is pleased, however, that the multilateral negotiations between Quality Services, the government and the union resulted in management agreeing in principle to rehire some 95 per cent of the recently terminated employees.
“We are pleased and delighted that these gentlemen (Ministers Mitchell and Darville) understand the sensitivity, the sensitive nature in this environment, Grand Bahama.”
The Union president said that never again will his union allow Bahamians who were trained for 30 years to be sidelined, where jobs they are qualified to perform are given to foreigners.
Minister Mitchell reiterated his government’s commitment to the policy of Bahamianisation and general fairness in commerce and trade as they relate to investors, their treatment of the Bahamian workers and respect for the labour laws and policies of the government.
“There is a feeling developing in Grand Bahama that Bahamians are looking through a glass at other people being prosperous who are not from The Bahamas but were enjoying the benefits of the economy while Bahamians suffer,” said Minister Mitchell.
While he said that Bahamians and The Bahamas Government do not begrudge the profits earned by foreign investors, “you cannot have a situation where Bahamians feel that they are being left out of the benefits of their own economy. And so our job is – led by what is the centre of power in Grand Bahama for the government , the Ministry of Grand Bahama and this Minister’s job is tasked – we are all tasked to support the power centre in Grand Bahama, (the) Ministry of Grand Bahama to ensure that the benefits of this economy will go to Bahamians first.”
“This is a law enforcement issue, but it is also a social policy issue” said Minister Mitchell referring to the unwritten social contract that companies have with Bahamian employees. He pointed out several times that the PLP ran on an election platform of putting Bahamians first and they have not forgotten the plight and complaints of many Bahamians.
Commenting on the history of the PLP, the Minister recounted when in 1969 Sir Lynden addressed the social order in Freeport as untenable, indicating that it will have to be broken if it did not bend. Again in the 1980s the PLP picketed BORCO in support of the protection of the upward mobility of Bahamian workers.
There are several companies that are on the radar of the government based on reports coming to the attention of the government, said Minister Mitchell. He listed the Grand Bahama Ship Yard, the Power Company, Club Fortuna, Quality Services and supply companies that serve BORCO as some of the companies of concern. He said while this list is not exhaustive, the Ministries of Immigration and Labour “have been asked to look through a microscope at the policies of these companies and the availability of jobs for Bahamians” by these companies.
Turning his attention to training, the Grand Bahama Minister revealed the establishment of the National Training Institute in partnership with the industrial sector to address the skill set deficiencies in Grand Bahama that some argue are at the heart of these labour disputes. This institute, the Minister believes, will go a long way in properly preparing and positioning Bahamians to take advantage of job opportunities in this industrial sector.
“We are very instrumental in reaching out now to the entire industrial sector to assure them that we have the academic acumen and labour force that is prepared for training and for them to partner with us here at the Ministry of Grand Bahama and the National Training Institute to start the necessary training to ensure that we build our labour force here in Grand Bahama to meet the need of the industrial sector.”
Minister Darville said that this National Training Institute will work in conjunction with the Northern campus of the College of The Bahamas (COB) and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI).
Both Ministers concurred that the government expects to hear from the management of Quality Services by Monday, 11th February 2013 where a meeting with the Grand Bahama Minister will convene and the Minister of Grand Bahama will report the results of this meeting to cabinet in Nassau.
© Copyright 2013 by thebahamasweekly.com
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