The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Public Service Union (BPSU) president Alexander Burrows has threatened court action if the Government fails to suspend the rollout of its new Oracle payroll system, citing inadequate consultation, concerns over changes to salary payments and difficulties public officers are experiencing with the platform.

Mr Burrows said the union, through its attorney, wrote to the Ministry of Finance on October 30 demanding that the Government halt the rollout and maintain the existing monthly salary arrangements until outstanding concerns are addressed.

The union understands that the first payroll cycle under the Oracle system is scheduled for November 15, while the new clocking system was due to take effect on Sunday.

Mr Burrows said the Government was given until 4pm yesterday to respond to the union’s demands. If it failed to do so, the BPSU would seek urgent interim relief through judicial review proceedings in the Supreme Court.

Up to press time, the union had received no response.

Mr Burrows stressed that the union was not opposed to modernising the public service but objected to what he described as the imposition of fundamental changes to public officers’ employment arrangements without meaningful consultation.

He said the union had repeatedly raised questions about the proposed changes since 2023 but had not received satisfactory answers.

The BPSU is seeking to maintain the existing monthly payment structure until it has a clearer understanding of how the proposed transition to semi-monthly salaries would work.

Mr Burrows argued that changes to salary payments and Oracle’s clocking procedures could disadvantage public officers, particularly vulnerable workers such as grounds and beautification staff and school janitors.

He also raised concerns that the clocking-in system was not adequately accommodating employees working shifts.

He said some members who worked around the clock had reported difficulties because the system appeared to be designed primarily for employees working conventional 9am-to-5pm hours.

Mr Burrows questioned whether workers whose duties did not ordinarily involve computers had received sufficient training to use the platform.

He cited maids, janitorial staff and grounds and beautification workers as examples of employees who might struggle with the requirement to clock in and out electronically.

He said: “They have not been adequately trained to deal with signing in and signing out of the system. That also raises an alarming concern for the union because how do we safeguard our membership if they are not adequately trained?”

The dispute has also prompted a warning from Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) president Belinda Wilson, who has advised members not to log on to the Oracle platform until the Government addresses outstanding concerns.

In an October 30 communication to members, Mrs Wilson said the BUT and BPSU, through the Bahamas National Alliance Trade Union Congress (BNATUC), had instructed an attorney to write to the Government over the proposed changes to salary payments.

She said the BUT had filed a trade dispute over the issue last year, with conciliation scheduled for November 13.

Mrs Wilson said the union remained concerned about the platform’s security and had received reports of technical problems affecting teachers. Among the complaints were difficulties accessing the system and allegations that some employees had been able to view other people’s personal information.

“We also understand that there are glitches in the system that have not yet been corrected,” she said.

“Unless and until we get the questions answered satisfactorily and until we are certain that your personal information is secure, we advise do not log on to Oracle.”

Mrs Wilson said 87 per cent of teachers who responded to a union poll supported retaining monthly salary payments.

She also claimed that Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis had previously indicated during a meeting with union representatives that the switch to more frequent payments would be optional.

She said she had written to Mr Davis and Minister of Economic Affairs Michael Halkitis about the issue since 2024.

Mrs Wilson said she had requested another meeting with Mr Halkitis and was awaiting a date, adding that the union had yet to receive satisfactory answers about the proposed payment arrangements.

She also warned that the union would not tolerate Government or Ministry of Education officials threatening teachers’ salaries or employment over their participation in the Oracle system.

The Government previously said employees enrolled in Cloud Bahamas would move to a semi-monthly payroll arrangement, while those choosing to retain monthly payments could remain on the existing payroll system.

The Oracle-based platform, known as Cloud Bahamas, is designed to modernise government financial and human resources operations. It allows public servants to access employment and salary information, submit leave requests and update personal records online, while integrating payroll, finance and procurement functions.

The Tribune sought comment from Mr Halkitis but had received no response up to press time.