The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

AS tensions continue to rise between the Bahamas Union of Teachers and the Ministry of Education, BUT President Belinda Wilson released a 25 minute video to the public clarifying the union’s position on several “serious matters”.

Ms Wilson accused the government of “union busting” and violating the union’s rights by preventing members to hold meetings on the school campus – a practice she says goes back more than 60 years.

She also outlined the 10 points of contention, which she says the union has with government and which they refuse to back down on. They include the union being denied access to the school campus, $5.2 million owed to teachers, threats about joining the union and health benefits.

“The ban has impeded the work of the union and we see it as union busting. After a week of conciliation at the Department of Labour and meeting with the Prime Minister to date there is no resolution. The BUT has referred the matter to the ILO and has filed it in the Supreme Court,” she said.

“The resolution to this matter is very simple the Ministry of Education should allow the union normal access that we enjoyed for the past 60 years.”

Mrs Wilson said that in an attempt to bully teachers from joining the union, officers from the Ministry of Education have threatened teachers who attempt to join the union.

”If it is true,” she said, “it is in direct violation of the industrial agreement and the constitution of the Bahamas. The resolution is simple the ministry through the department should send a message cease and desist from the practice.”

Mrs Wilson said despite assurances by the Ministry of Education that the issues at Stephen Dillet and Uriah McPhee have been resolved, teachers continue to experience health issues. She encourages teachers as well as students to “get checked out” and let the government pay.

Her comments came after hundreds of teaches voted “yes” to taking a strike vote, which could happen as early as this week

According to Mrs Wilson: ”Teachers overwhelmingly support having a strike vote. We really are headed towards a strike now.”

As she awaits the results of similar polls from across the Bahamas, she said that she would write the Department of Labour to inform them of the teachers’ decision. The Department of Labour, she said, would then have to send a representative to formally conduct a strike vote and certify the teachers’ decision to go on strike – a process she says that should take no more than seven days.

However, Labour Minister Shane Gibson said that teachers cannot go on strike as long as they have a matter before the industrial tribunal.