The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

LABOUR and religious leaders in Grand Bahama are supporting workers at the Freeport Container Port who are again taking steps to form a union to bargain for better wages, permanent job status and a safer workplace.

Two-thirds of the 500 container port workers are employed as temporary and part-time labour, with no employee benefits.   

Veteran union activist Lionel Morley, who is assisting the workers, has applied to the Department of Labour for registration of a new trade union – the Longshoremen’s Union – to represent workers at the container port. 

“We have far exceeded the numbers required to apply for determination to give us the right to become the bargaining agent for workers, and to compel management to sit and negotiate with us,” he told The Tribune yesterday. 

Mr Morley said that since the early 1990s workers have been continually denied their fundamental right to join a union and accused management of employing union-busting tactics and intimidating workers. He was also critical of government and its lack of involvement in the matter.

Also supporting the workers were Rev Dr Keith Russell, pastor of First Baptist Church, and Quinton LaRoda, area vice-president of the Bahamas Union of Teachers.  

They believe the workers should be allowed to exercise their constitutional right to form a union without the fear of retaliation or losing their jobs.

Dr Russell said that temporary or contracted workers received no benefits. “They can’t get a mortgage for a house or a bank loan to purchase a car,” said the pastor. 

“It is egregious, immoral and unjust. Any business that comes to Freeport to operate ought to treat Bahamian workers as human beings and as persons of worth. Gone are the days when we should be satisfied with just a job,” he said.

Dr Russell stressed that labour is as important as capital investment. He noted that container port workers in Florida earn a lot more than their Bahamian counterparts. Additionally, he said that 40,000 spinoff jobs are created in Florida from the container port there.   

“There used to be permanent jobs (at the container port); they have now cut that out and all we are getting are part-time jobs. The container port should be able to revitalise this community alone, but it is doing nothing, other than providing part-time jobs.

 “The employees there have to organise and create unions to speak on their behalf and bargain for better wages and benefits – they should be getting a fair share of what is going there,” said Dr Russell.

Dr Russell said the government  is not doing what it ought to in terms of enforcing labour laws. “They are derelict in their duty and we can’t expect them to help,” he said.  

Mr Morley indicated that, this time, they also have the support of international partners. “The law is very clear as it relates to workers having a right to join a trade union. We relied on government and nothing has happened, and so we have engaged international parties to help us. They have the capabilities to shut down the borders and stop container movement to The Bahamas,” he claimed.

Mr Laroda is urging the community to support workers. “Without the support of their community these workers will once again be denied their right to form a union,” he said.

Rev Sidney McIntosh also encouraged more community leaders to become involved.  “These workers are our members, our neighbours, our family and the citizens of our Commonwealth. Their basic rights are to be protected at all cost,” he said.