The Tribune

CHAOS erupted at the Lynden Pindling International Airport last night after Customs and Immigration officials walked off the job at 5pm, citing General Orders. According to Sloane Smith, the acting president of the Bahamas Customs, Immigration and Allied Workers Union, his members simply followed the instructions of the Prime Minister, who informed them to abide by the official rules for public servants, which speak to an employee working a regular 9am to 5pm day. "There is no industrial action at the airport," Mr Smith said. "What has happened is that we simply followed what the PM said." On Wednesday, Mr Smith instructed members to abandon their shift schedule as it did not comply with regulations. The system has been a long-standing issue of contention for workers, who feel there are no guidelines to organise overtime work. Labour officials, union representatives and staff met with Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham on Saturday to discuss the trade dispute stemming from a 2005 Industrial Agreement. Mr Smith told The Tribune yesterday his members were introduced to a shift system last year, but it was not in line with labour laws. "The PM himself did not accept it and neither did his office. So to say that they are doing industrial action would not be accurate. We are simply coming in to work from 9 to 5 like everyone else," he said. It is understood that Customs and Immigration managers filled in for line staff at LPIA, handling any flights after 5pm. However, Mr Smith said that this is at best only a "stop-gap" measure. "If the government requires assistance on the weekend, we have asked them to set up a schedule. That schedule would allow for different ranks of officers to manage different ports or areas. That is what is available to them. But there is no provision in General Orders for a shift system." Attempts to reach Minister of Labour Dion Foulkes were unsuccessful.