The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE head of the union representing Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) line-staff warned yesterday that it would not sit “idly by” and allow negotiated benefits to be taken away, after its executive chairman pledged to stop “double dipping” on National Insurance Board (NIB) benefits.

Leslie Miller said he had issued a Corporation-wide memorandum informing staff they would no longer be allowed to collect NIB monies for certain benefits, such as sick benefit, while still being paid by BEC.

He added that from November 1, BEC employees will no longer be allowed to “double dip” by collecting both NIB benefits and a full salary.

“What BEC is doing is no more than fair and in alignment with what is going on nationally, and is similar to practices already being adopted by other government entities,” said Mr Miller in the memorandum.

But Stephano Greene, head of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU), argued that the chairman had acted without consultation or negotiation with the union.

“That decision was, from our understanding, a directive from the chairman without consultation or negotiation from both unions,” Mr Greene said.

“That notice would affect both of the unions and, in essence, attempt to take away a negotiated benefit that both unions have. We’re not the only union or organisation which has that benefit, when you have what we call sick hours, that we negotiate in our contract, which means that whenever a person is off sick, that time that they are away from work comes out of their negotiated sick hours and they’re paid 100 per cent from BEC. We have it, Water and Sewerage has it, some if not all of the government sector has it. It’s nothing new in the Bahamas.”

Mr Greene added: “It’s just that someone, in their wisdom, has decided that they are unilaterally going to try and again very the terms and conditions of contracts within the Corporation.

“Obviously, both unions will not sit idly by and allow a benefit that has been negotiated to be taken away. We will address it appropriately. First of all we will follow our guidelines in our contract on our grievance procedure, which we always do.

“Once we see that we are not getting satisfaction, which we know that we will not in BEC, then we will file the necessary trade disputes and take the necessary legal action.”

In a statement, Mr Miller charged: “It is unfair to the Bahamian people that employees of BEC are being unjustly rewarded by being able to collect a payment from NIB and their full salary from BEC.

“In the private sector, as was the original intention of the NIB Act, NIB is meant to supplement that portion of the salary not paid by the employer during a period of incapacitation. Over the years, there are some agencies that have moved away from the original intention of the Act and have allowed employees to receive both.

“While this practice may have been accepted at a time when companies were more financially secure and the economy was more robust, I cannot justify continuing this practice when the Corporation, just like the entire Bahamian Government, is tremendously in debt.

“We must stop the haemorrhage. We cannot allow simple greed on the part of employees to impede our progress in turning BEC around.”

Mr Miller could not be reached for further comment up to press time.