Shane Gibson
By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
THE government intervened when the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) wanted to cut staff by 200 people last year, Labour Minister Shane Gibson said yesterday, adding that there is nothing the Christie administration can do now to prevent the impending loss of at least 150 workers from the company in March.
Yesterday, Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) President Bernard Evans said the impending staff cuts are “shocking” and “insulting.” He said BTC employees are “distraught” over the rushed, “sneaky” way the company is handling the move.
He said he learned on Tuesday that BTC intends to offer voluntary separation packages to 150 to 250 workers to leave the company before the end of March, in preparation for the liberalisation of the mobile sector.
Mr Evans said the move took him by surprise, especially as the company is expanding into television services which, in his opinion, would require more staff.
He said BTC is offering the separation packages to all staff with the hope of reducing the number of workers by March 31.
“They are going to launch a new TV product and you would think that instead of reducing staff they would need to add a couple staff,” he told The Tribune. “We heard rumours about this in late 2014, during the Christmas season. We normally meet every Tuesday and Thursday for contract negotiations and we thought we would open our books again to negotiate a new industrial contract on Tuesday, but we were told by management they were given instructions to offer voluntary separation packages to all staff with the dealing set for March 6 and them wanting to reduce staff by March 31,” he said.
“That was a shocker. We thought there would have been some sort of dialogue. It is supposed to be so immediate and that is what is so insulting. Why now? Why the rush? Given whatever excuses they might have, that they are looking at the forecast with a new entrant coming in. BTC is not haemorrhaging. We kept asking management about this. Every time the rumour would heat up they would say that they knew nothing about it. We thought they were not operating in good faith at all. With competition looming you would think they would have a better relationship with worker representatives.
“We had a meeting with our members and obviously it was heated. Members were distraught and taken aback by the urgency at which they presented this. Even though some may want to take it, there were people who applied and couldn’t get it because they (management) said it was off the table,” Mr Evans said. “Some people had looked at other opportunities before and now they may have lost that opportunity. This was a real sneaky way of doing things. That is what has us so up in arms. I understand that there is not a fixed number. We were not told whether they are looking for 150 or 250. I guess they are desirous of 150 minimum. That seems to be the number being spit out, but that hasn’t officially come from management.”
When contacted yesterday, Mr Gibson revealed that BTC wanted to lay off almost 200 persons late last year, but the government saved those jobs.
“When we spoke to them they told us they were streaming in preparation for liberalisation and they are forced to reduce and settle packages at a lower rate,” he said.
“I have not spoke with the union officially and I do not have all the details, so I can’t speak to the packages at this time. But I do know that BTC wanted to do the layoffs last year, but the government intervened and got them to put it off but now they are saying that they cannot put it off any longer.
“This is not the first time or the second time or the third time BTC has offered voluntary separation packages. This is an unfortunate situation and we never like to see people made redundant or laid off for any reason,” Mr Gibson added. “We would have liked for them to keep those people on and monitor the progress, but they decided to do this. We can oppose them as much as we want, but there is not much the government can do in this situation. We know this is going to be hard, especially for the older persons who will find it hard to get employment again.”
Last week, Prime Minister Perry Christie announced in the House of Assembly that three companies have submitted proposals to obtain the country’s second mobile network provider licence.
They are television and Internet provider Cable Bahamas as well as local subsidiaries of international telecommunications companies, Digicel and Virgin Mobile.
Mr Christie said the government is on target to announce the successful applicant in May.
BTC’s monopoly on mobile services ended last May.
Comments
John 9 years, 8 months ago
These people sit in a board room (or have someone go on a computer) and build a business module that says if you invest this amount and you want to receive "this amount" given "these inputs then here are the variables. Since the human resource input is the one most easily to manipulate and to replace in the communications industry we have these kinds of "dumping" of human (employees)
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 8 months ago
That's business in every board room the world over. A friend once told me that an employer can put his interests first or he can put your interests first, he cannot do both.
proudloudandfnm 9 years, 8 months ago
Ok Shane you tried last year. Now go to work and save them again this year. Enough of the we did this crap now....
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 8 months ago
"Why now? Why the rush? " Mr Evans is doing such a disservice to his people. The hiring of Mr Leon Williams was nothing but a placebo. When Mr Evans should have been preparing his people for the inevitable news of this day he was busy running a victory lap. Unions stop selling fantasies to your members.
Emac 9 years, 8 months ago
It is not the end of the world for God's sake! Each employee will receive a severance package. Therefore these employees should just take some of that money, invest in upgrading your skills or become employers. But no, instead, most will be going on a shopping spree while overlooking their necessary bills. Then later on they will cry out about the government being unfair and then start blaming everyone else but themselves. Sigh..
GrassRoot 9 years, 8 months ago
really? 200 jobs? they will be gone tomorrow, if competition is introduced. this is just the classic redistribution of jobs. the new carrier will hire the best of BTC for a premium and BTC will go in to retain them at a premium. It is called competition. The reality though is that Bahamians will not pay more overall for using their phones, maybe even less. The market is capped. don't expect any wonders from the competition.
John 9 years, 8 months ago
The fact is 90% percent of BTC is marketing. The core company is gone no service no repair just rebranding and repackaging and tons of marketing to convince you that their products are the ones you need. And of course young faces are part of the marketing plan. So after a few years your time at BTC is done. You have to take the severance package and re-enter the job market at an older age and to fight even more fierce competition. some say that the entire retail industry will become obsolete. Consumers will sit in front of a computer like zombies and order what they want and robots will do the rest. Then one third of the work force will no longer be needed and will be terminated. Some even say they will be exterminated. Are we there yet?
TheMadHatter 9 years, 8 months ago
You are correct. Every day I get a zillion texts on my phone telling me I can get 15 free texts if I send 5 paid texts.
Do I need to hear this "news" 10 times every single day?
Of course I would get a cellphone from the new company just to not get those stupid messages.
John 9 years, 8 months ago
Scientists: 'Look, One-Third Of The Human Race Has To Die For Civilization To Be Sustainable, So How Do We Want To Do This?'
THE BIBLE: REVELATION 9:18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths
DillyTree 9 years, 8 months ago
BTC has been riding the gravy train for too long. It's bloated, overstaffed and never been asked to run as a proper business. With a monopoly, they've never been accountable or competitive. The times they are a' changing!
I can't wait for competition to enter the ring. Then maybe we'll have lower bills and a more efficient telephone service.
John 9 years, 8 months ago
Yea and they have hundreds of vendors selling their phone cards and top up and not making a dime from it. They only make $5 or $6 when they sell $100 worth of cards or top up. And if they make a mistake when putting on top up. That money comes out of their pockets. And the man who forced this on his own Bahamian people has packed his bags and left with money in the bank.
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