The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net PRESIDENT of the Bahamas Hotel Maintenance and Allied Workers Union (BHMAWU) Lynden Taylor said yesterday that management at Sandals Royal Bahamian had 'finally' accepted the union as the bargaining agent for the resort's line staff. Mr Taylor said that moving forward the union envisioned "nothing but progress", stating that the BHMAWU was willing to work "hand in hand" with Sandals". "They finally now accept us as being the bargaining agent for the property with regards workers," said Mr Taylor. "As of Wednesday we adopted the agreement that existed with the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHMAWU) and any matters flowing out of that agreement they have to consult the union. Things are moving forward. They had an agreement with Hotel Catering so we just adopted the existing agreement until it expires and we go into the process of renegotiating. That agreement expires January 2013 but we will start negotiations I think six months before it expires." In February 2010, 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 the 500 non-managerial employees at Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort. Mr Taylor said: "After we won the ruling from the Privy Council, the hotel still fought it. We tried to handle it as best as we could and it paid off. It is what it is, you can't run around what the law is. Moving forward we see nothing but progress from the union side and we want to work hand in hand with Sandals." Earlier this week the union had accused management of Sandals Royal Bahamian of 'intimidating the staff.' The union alleged that employees were being 'threatened' to sign a petition removing the union as their bargaining agent or face the possibility of losing their jobs. Sandals management however rejected the claims, stating they were "completely false" and that it "fully respects and upholds all the laws of The Bahamas including the right of workers to be represented by a body of their choice".