The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

PRESIDENT of the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union Nicole Martin and members of her executive team were successfully re-elected after the union held an election on Wednesday.

In a post on her Facebook page yesterday, Ms Martin thanked members of her union for their “confidence” in her team.

“Thanks to the members of Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union for their confidence in me and the A-Team. This is a God thing. To God be the glory! Feeling grateful,” she wrote.

Ms Martin’s “A-Team” consisted of incumbent General Secretary Darren Woods, Godfrey Brice, Harrison Williams, Perry Cox, Sheila Burrows, Marsha Bullard, Carolyn Lundy, Bertram Williams, Ricardo Hepburn, Suelynn Stuart and Quince Munroe.

Ms Martin’s team has led the union through a number of key matters in recent months. The BHCAWU has been locked in negations with Cable Beach resort Baha Mar over proposed reductions in gratuity payments for employees at the Melia resort.

Baha Mar claimed it was forced to end the normal gratuity payments at the Melia resort, however, after 10 months of negotiations between the hotel and the union talks reached an impasse.

The union filed a trade dispute with the Department of Labour after management at Baha Mar withheld gratuities from employees until the parties could negotiate a new gratuity rate.

Union officials have said they will not accept a reduction in gratuities because it represents the majority of the employees’ take-home pay.

The dispute is now a court matter.