The Tribune

By KYLE WALKINE

Tribune Staff Reporter

kwalkine@tribunemedia.net

NEARLY 200 Ministry of Works employees blocked the entrance to the JFK Drive compound yesterday morning to protest nine years of not receiving hazardous pay. 

The workers, who decided to take strike action, held placards and shouted, “It’s our money and we want it now”, as more and more police officers showed up to contain the crowd. 

At one point, barricades were set up to keep the protestors from going across the street to the opening of the Paul L Adderley Building, where the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers were opening the new Attorney General’s office. 

Steven Douglas, Vice-President of the Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU), and Welding Superintendent at the Ministry of Works, claims the government “cherry picked” who they wanted to receive hazardous payments on Thursday, which he said was up to $16,000 for some employees. 

“So far we have the electricians, the plumbers and the air condition guys who have received hazardous pay, when all of us deserve it,” he told The Tribune. “There are hundreds of us that haven’t received anything. You have the welders, the bodywork guys, the painters and everyone else that deals with toxic fumes. We are no longer going to sit back and allow the government to pick who they want to pay and expect that to silence the rest of us.”

According to Mr Douglas, a contract was signed in 2005 that outlines that each worker should be paid a minimum of $1.50 hazardous pay per hour while on the job. However, he added that nine years later, most of them have not received a penny. 

Mr Douglas said they will block the entrance to the ministry every day until their matter is resolved. 

As tension continued to build and the crowd increased Ministry of Works Parliamentary Secretary Renward Wells showed up to see what the commotion was about, but was assailed by angry protestors wanting an answer. 

“You know how we go about negotiations and you know we are at the negotiating table,” Mr Wells told one of the unionists. “This matter is being resolved. You have to give us time. This Progressive Liberal Party government made sure the deal was signed in 2005 and we’re dealing with this now.”

As the situation continued to get more heated Mr Wells told the unionist, “You are future politician. How come you didn’t come out here and protest when Neko Grant sat in there? Why weren’t you out here when Earl Deveaux could have fixed your problem?”

Mr Douglas dismissed the MP, saying that he was making the problem political. 

A few minutes later Mr Christie arrived for the event across the street. Despite being blocked by scores of police officers and barricades, the protestors made certain the Prime Minister knew they were there. 

However, Mr Christie refused to look in their direction and proceeded to his scheduled event. During the ceremony one protestor appeared to be on the point of arrest by police, but was released following reaction from his co-workers. 

After the opening Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis told reporters he did not know why the workers decided to strike because the issue has been “dealt with”. 

“That (matter) was resolved,” he said. “I’m surprised they’re doing what they’re doing this morning. The paperwork was being signed off as of today. I don’t know what to say about their impatience.”

Mr Davis, who also serves as the minister of works, did address the protestors. He said all of the workers should receive their hazardous pay by next week.