The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

LINE-STAFF at the Sandals Royal Bahamian resort could strike “any day now”, the president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Obie Ferguson, warned yesterday.

Accusing the resort’s management of refusing to negotiate with the Bahamas Hotel, Maintenance & Allied Workers Union (BHMAWU) on a new industrial agreement, Mr Ferguson said that having obtained a strike certificate, it was now only a question of timing.

“We are now in possession of a strike certificate, which we got last Friday. Now that we have the certificate it’s up to the union to determine which day they want to strike. It’s a question of the timing and when it can be most effective. It could be any day now,” said Mr Ferguson.

He added that it was unfortunate the situation had deteriorated so far.

“It’s unfortunate that the company would want to disregard the fundamental rights of the workers of the country,” he added.

“I’m certain the owners are aware that in Jamaica, which they operate from, they have a tradition of trade unions. The trade union movement is intimately connected to the history of the Bahamas. Their position seems to be that despite what the Privy Council and the Supreme Court has said, they have no intention of negotiating with the union.”

Sandals has previously stated it was “unaware of any significant issues that would warrant strike action”.

The resort has challenged not only the validity, but the number of votes the Bahamas Hotel, Maintenance and Allied Workers Union claims to have polled in their reports of a successful strike vote on May 8 2013.