The Tribune

LABOUR Minister Dion Foulkes told Tribune Business yesterday that he has a meeting scheduled this afternoon with executives of the Bahamas Hotel, Maintenance and Allied Workers Union (BHMAWU) to discuss labour issues regarding Sandals Royal Bahamian. Minister Foulkes confirmed: "I have a meeting with them tomorrow (today) at 2pm to primarily discuss the matter with Sandals to see if we can make some progress with respect to the issues, and I will also seek to speak with Mr Obie Ferguson regarding the other matters." Bahamas Hotel, Maintenance and Allied Workers Union (BHMAWU) president Lynden Taylor confirmed the scheduled meeting and expressed optimism heading into the talks. Back in February, the Privy Council overturned the Court of Appeal's verdict that everything was "void" because the BHMAWU was not properly registered, paving the way for the union to be recognised as the bargaining agent for non-managerial employees at Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort. Mr Ferguson told Tribune Business in an interview back in December that industrial action at the resort was "imminent" after repeated attempts to get Minister Foulkes to intervene in labour talks had failed.