The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

WATER and Sewerage Management Union (WSMU) president Montgomery Miller claims he was suspended for two days by the Water and Sewage Corporation (WSC) for questioning the authority.

"In a most recent instance I, in my capacity as president of the Water and Sewerage Management Union, would have written to the general manager asking of them a very basic question - has the Water and Sewerage Corporation converted from a place of employment to a plantation?" he said at a press conference at WSC's headquarters yesterday.

"That is the question that I asked and as a result of that question I was placed on two day suspension without pay as a union president representing the members of this corporation. How could this be right. . .and my question is how can the general manager be judge, jury and executioner?"

Bahamas Utilities Services and Allied Workers Union (BUSAWU) president Dwayne Woods, who works at WSC as a technical officer, was warned in a letter by the general manager about holding impromptu union meetings with staff during working hours and for not working the full eight hours a day as mandated. The general manager noted the corporation "will not tolerate these types of interruptions" as union meetings are to be held before working hours or during lunch.

Yesterday, Mr Miller raised other union grievances including WSC allegedly failing to deal with a three year mould issue at the Eleuthera office. He claimed the health hazard has been an issue since 2017.

"From 2017, information has been provided and approval was given by the former general manager to move these employees. To date, nothing has been done to address this issue," Mr Miller said.

He claimed that "tens of thousands" of dollars were spent on upgrading the conference room and refurbishing the executive suite of the corporation while the employees "suffer" under unsafe work conditions.

High employee turnover during Adrian Gibson's tenure as executive chairman was another point of tension. Mr Miller said WSC managers were "fleeing" the corporation at high rates because of the "torment and chaos" at the water provider.

"While our prime minister goes on the international airwaves speaking of the natural disasters of recent hurricanes like Dorian, he seemingly takes no notice of the unnatural disaster taking place under his watch at WSC by the name of 'Adrian'," Mr Miller said.

Yesterday's press conference is the latest in an ongoing dispute between the union leaders and WSC executives. A strike commenced on February 11 but was halted when the matter was referred to the Industrial Tribunal. A temporary court injunction was granted to stop the strike; the injunction has been extended to March 20.