The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

TRADE Union Congress President Obie Ferguson said that despite leading a strike last week, which interrupted public health care services, it was never his intention to “shut the country down.”

While attending a press conference hosted by the Bahamas Air Traffic Controller’s Union, Mr Ferguson said it was not the TUC’s objective to strike and said all the union wanted was to “sit down intelligently” and “find solutions”.

Mr Ferguson also said he would be meeting with Labour Minister Shane Gibson today as a part of the minister’s promise to have all of the TUC’s concerns addressed “once and for all”.

“We are in the business of trying to resolve disputes,” Mr Ferguson said. “We are not trying to shut no country down. We made that very clear. That was never the objective of the TUC. All we wanted was to sit down intelligently and discuss our differences and find solutions. It was never, nor would I believe, that any of our officers would be interested in trying to shut this country down. That’s not the objective.”

Mr Ferguson’s comments come a week after he announced that several unions which fall under the TUC’s umbrella would strike over outstanding disputes with the government and private sector.

The TUC represents more than 20 unions. However, only workers from the Customs and Immigration Departments, as well as the Bahamas Nurses Union, took part in a strike in New Providence, Grand Bahama and some Family Islands.

Some hotel workers on Grand Bahama also took part in the strike.

The industrial action began last week Wednesday and lasted for three days.

The day the strike began, the Supreme Court issued an injunction on behalf of the government ordering striking employees to return to work.

According to reports, some people were turned away from public health care facilities because nurses were striking.

The TUC filed an application in the Supreme Court last Friday to have the injunction lifted immediately, saying Labour Minister Shane Gibson got the order without the TUC being able to argue its side in court.

Mr Ferguson said his union will meet with the minister at 4pm today.

According to Mr Ferguson the injunction hearing has been postponed to a later date by the court.

He said the judge wanted to deal with the matter “collectively as opposed to separately”.

Mr Ferguson said the set date for the injunction hearing is next week Monday.