The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union shop steward David Beckford and two of his associates were yesterday denied the opportunity to nominate themselves for leadership positions in the union’s election later this month after being told they were no longer union members.

The members of a team of 12 executive hopefuls who call themselves “Team Destiny” accused union leaders of victimising them because of their vocal criticism of executive leadership.

Carol Thompson said she had been a union member for 30 years before she was expelled, a punishment for which she has been provided with no reasonable rationale, she said.

The members also said that despite their expulsion, money for the union has continued to be deducted from their salaries.  

“There’s no way I, about to retire from the union, would cause the union any harm,” said Ms Thompson. “I was told I was expelled from March 30th but they never stopped my deductions. How could I be expelled if I’m still making financial contributions?”

For his part, Mr Beckford, who has spent months sounding alarms over the union’s leadership while complaining about victimisation, said: “This administration is in violation of the union’s constitution. We are financial contributors.

“We have a right to run and we want the members to know that we don’t desire to have this matter go to court but we will write letters to the Director of Labour and to this administration and we want them to do the nomination process over because it is not fair and we want them to do what is right.”

Nonetheless, BHCAWU president Nicole Martin told The Tribune the four people had been expelled for engaging in actions prejudicial to the union’s interests. Specifically, she said, they brought a matter before the courts in which they argued that the union is not properly registered and has no legal basis for its existence. A hearing for the matter is scheduled for May 11 before the Court of Appeal.

The union and the expelled members disputed the circumstances under which people could be expelled from the union, with the union saying the archaic constitution does not give clear instructions on the matter. However, Ms Martin said a majority of members on the executive committee could vote to carry out the action.

Asked to respond to the group’s threat of legal action, Ms Martin said: “The court is there for everybody so we encourage them to go.”

As for deductions being made from the salaries of expelled members, she said the matter should be taken up with the company responsible for deducting the money. “We sent (Mr Beckford) his cheques back,” she added. As for the others, she said: “Whoever it is, their cheques are sent back to them.”

The union’s elections are scheduled for May 27.