The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A trade union leader yesterday said Sandals Royal Bahamian employees had little choice but to take a strike vote, after the resort warned its actions could deter potential foreign direct investment (FDI) in this nation.

Obie Ferguson, the Trades Union Congress’s (TUC) president, agreed that strikes and industrial action were “not the best avenue” to resolve disputes, but said he was “rather surprised” at Sandals’ statement on the matter yesterday.

The resort described the position taken by the Bahamas Maintenance and Allied Workers Union (BHMAWU), which is a TUC affiliate, as “extremely baffling” given that it said both parties were meeting on “an ongoing basis”.

Mr Ferguson, though, denied this, accusing Sandals Royal Bahamian of “refusing to negotiate” an industrial agreement with the union.

He added that the resort was also denying union officers access to the property to meet with members, emphasising that this was “never done in a disruptive manner, and it’s not to interfere in the running of the business”.

“They refuse to negotiate, they refuse to meet to negotiate, and they have decided no officer can access the property to discuss any matter with the union members,” Mr Ferguson said, adding that BHMAWU officers were not being allowed to go further than the security gate.

He suggested that Section 41 of the Industrial Relations Act required Sandals Royal Bahamian to meet the union and negotiate an industrial agreement, describing this as a “fundamental obligation” and the “very heart of the trade union movement”.

“We were trying to meet with the company to even avoid discussion of a strike, as a strike is not the best avenue to resolve any dispute,” Mr Ferguson told Tribune Business.

In its statement, Sandals Royal Bahamian said the union’s pending strike vote threatened to disrupt its operations just when occupancy levels were starting to rise.

Warning that any industrial action would affect employee incomes, it added: “We have invested enormous sums of money to raise the resort to even greater heights, including the total refurbishment of over 200 suites in the Windsor Building and the creation of the Walkout River Suites, which are a month away from completion.

“This kind of investment has drastically changed the face of the resort and is the talk of the marketplace, which we believe will go on to benefit the team members as well as the destination of the Bahamas as a whole.”

And, suggesting that any strike vote, and subsequent industrial action, could have wider ramifications, Sandals said: “There are many eyes currently on the Bahamas with regards to investment, and we strongly believe that responsible organisations owe it to the country and its people to exercise good discipline and hospitality more than ever.”

Describing itself as surprised by the union’s strike vote move, Sandals Royal Bahamian said: “We are unaware of any significant issues that would warrant such action by the union.

“Sandals Royal Bahamian is, and has always been, a responsible employer that abides by the laws of the Bahamas, and we find this stance by the union extremely baffling, given that not only are both parties continuing to meet on an ongoing basis on issues related to our team members, but also that a matter is still before the Court of Appeal.

“We continue to treat with the BHMAWU on various issues in direct accordance with the laws of the Bahamas, and any statements to the contrary are entirely unfounded.”