The Tribune

ANY attempt by BEC union members to sabotage the opening of the 2013 CARIFTA Games was discouraged by its union president yesterday who warned them that such actions could lead to immediate termination from the corporation and possible criminal proceedings.

While admitting that nearly 75 per cent of his union was prepared to take some form of “militant stance” as they continue contractual talks with the government, Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) President Stephano Greene said his members would not resort to such actions “unless there is some total breakdown” in negotiations.

“The union does not support that type of action or attitude. The membership does not or will not support that type of attitude,” Mr Green said.

“If we do take any kind of action it will be the withdrawal of our services. We will never do anything illegal like cutting lines or disrupting service. The membership may be upset but they realise that it is illegal and grounds for being taken to court and losing your job. The membership will not do anything like that, you have my word on that – unless there is some total breakdown, we will continue to conduct ourselves in good faith and will keep ourselves in the mode that we are, which is full support of the corporation and the government.”

The union and the management of BEC have been at odds for months as the government moves to rectify the significant losses that BEC continues to experience year after year.

BEC chairman Leslie Miller has gone on record demanding that workers comply with a shift system so as to mitigate the massive amount of overtime that the corporation has to pay its workers.

An internal audit report on BEC’s overtime for the year ending September 2012 shows that breaching budgeted estimates has been a regular occurrence at the corporation for some years. Currently BEC is estimated to lose some $50 million at the end of 2013, with overtime alone costing the corporation some $12 million for 2012.

This shift system, along with the demand that workers start to pay 25 per cent of their health and pension costs has caused a bitter division between the union and Mr Miller. This was made more evident by an internal email between union members, of which The Tribune received a copy.

In the letter, addressed to Mr Greene and several other union executives, they were told that they should be prepared for Monday, March 25, as “this is pass red alert, this is dead alert.”

“We need to up our actions,” said the letter. “Mr President now is not the time to (be) passive, we need to get down and dirty. Action is needed.”

On Monday, March 25, New Providence experienced an island-wide power outage. The union has denied any involvement.

Addressing this letter yesterday, Mr Greene said he felt that was simply “emotions talking.”

“Probably more than 75 per cent of the union is ready to take some kind of militant stance against the actions of the chairman,” he said. “But the union must act in good faith and the union does have good faith with the Minister of Labour and the Deputy Prime Minister. No matter what emotions are out there you have to conduct yourselves in good faith until that is through.

“But the negotiations are going very slowly. We are in talks on other matters with the government as it relates to what is going on at BEC now with respect to rostering and one or two other matters. But the negotiations are going extremely slowly.”

As for negotiations of his members having to pay 25 per cent of their pension and insurance costs, Mr Greene said that BEC is not the only corporation that absorbs this cost for its workers. He said if the government was thinking of implementing this practice across the board they may consider it – but not if BEC is going to be the first or only government agency to do so.

Yesterday BEC’s chairman Leslie Miller said he was made aware of a “pending situation” that might occur at the opening of the CARIFTA Games if nothing happened with the union’s meeting with the minister.

“I want to say to the President, Mr Greene, that if he had a dream that they disrupted the opening ceremony of the CARIFTA Games he should wake up from his sleep and apologize to the Bahamian people. The consequences of those actions will be dire,” Mr Miller warned. “The Board will not cave in to threats from unreasonable members who make up less than 50 per cent of the staff of BEC.

“As executive chairman of distressed BEC I fully understand that in the pursuit of improving the corporation’s financial situation I will be met with frequent challenges from those who think about more their own selfish welfare than the welfare of the Bahamian people and the corporation alike.

“One of the challenges in BEC is this constant opposition from a minority segment of staff members who oppose the stringent but necessary measures that the Board and management must implement to protect the solvency of BEC. What these factions do not realize and appreciate is that these measures are also meant to protect the same salaries and most of the numerous benefits that they presently enjoy. As the executive chairman of BEC I have been given a mandate from the government of the Bahamas and I have a responsibility to the people of the Bahamas to ensure that BEC does not continue to be a constant drain on the country,” he said.

Mr Miller said he believes that most of the members of the BEWU will not go along with any type of industrial action as they understand the limits facing the country and BEC.