The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

JOHN Pinder, president of the National Congress of Trade Unions of the Bahamas, defended unionists yesterday against the scathing criticism Marco City MP Greg Moss levelled at them in the House of Assembly.

On Wednesday, Mr Moss claimed that unionists are more concerned with serving political agendas than ensuring that the best interests of their members are met.

He said unions have been particularly silent on the most pressing issues in the country, including value added tax (VAT), crime, home foreclosures, the outsourcing of jobs and minimum wage increases.

In response, Mr Pinder said the MP has not been paying attention to the actions of unionists.

“He has obviously not been listening to statements made by me,” he said. “I’m probably the first person to challenge the initial VAT rate (that was) set at 15 per cent. Furthermore, Mr Moss said trade unionists should not vocally support political agendas. He must forget that he has an MP sitting there in parliament who was president of a nurses union and is now a parliamentary secretary (South Beach MP Cleola Hamilton).

“As for me, I’m an independent person so long as I am president of the union. When I go to the polls, I choose who I will vote for.”

He added: “Last year in November, we sent the prime minister a resolution challenging him on issues relating to VAT, minimum wage and other things. I was the first person to start pushing for a minimum wage increase. We have also said we believe the government needs to consider a living wage. As for mortgages, we have supported the government for trying to assist people in stress relating to that.”

A copy of the resolution was sent to The Tribune yesterday.

It shows that Mr Pinder requested that VAT not be placed on utilities, medical and educational services. He also requested that VAT’s implementation date be delayed to July 2015. At the time, he asked that business and citizen’s fees for real property tax be waived and that the minimum wage be raised to counteract VAT’s impact.

Mr Pinder said the negative perception people have of unions is perpetuated by employers who are unwilling to share revenue.

“I think the problem is this, we keep saying to employers that we are not the enemy. We try to get the best that we can in terms of salaries and benefits. I try as best as I can to negotiate based on financial statements and forecasts. I try to trust the government when their experts say this is what the situation is, and this is what they could do.

“...I respect Mr Moss, but it’s really sad that he made those unfounded statements.”

As for politicians in general, Mr Pinder said: “They like to pull down the trade union movement when it is the very trade union that gives them a voice. And then they come and grab the very same trade union leaders and put them in parliament.”