The Tribune

WITH THE spectre of another Moody’s downgrade of this country’s credit worthiness – after being dropped to a notch just above “junk” – the Christie government quickly grabbed onto the completion of Baha Mar as the lifeline from its economic woes. It had hardly dodged that bullet when it was faced with union bullies threatening to “shut the country down”.

Apparently, the fight by the union to be recognised at Sandals has been going on for some time. The case is complicated because it is now before the Supreme Court for a judicial review. The union has also filed criminal charges, so until these matters are settled, there is little chance in further negotiations between Sandals and the union. Or even to expect government to override the courts and force its will on the hotel.

The Director of Labour, Robert Farquharson, rightly washed his hands of the problem, explaining that as the matter is before the Supreme Court, he cannot intervene.

Even the usual fiery Labour Minister Shane Gibson, although miffed because Sandals had not warned him of its impending closure for renovations, resulting in the redundancy of workers, had to draw in his claws.

Asked by a Tribune reporter to respond to criticism that the Christie administration was blindsided by Sandals’ decision, the minister said there were labour laws in place and the government could not set a precedent of dictating to private sector business owners how to conduct their affairs. This is the first intelligent statement that we have heard Mr Gibson make in a long time.

In fact, the Christie government had not been kept in the dark about the impending closure. Apparently, the hotel had gone over the Minister’s head and had directly informed the prime minister’s office.

But as one would expect, in response to pressure to have the Christie administration intervene in the dispute, Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller did not mince his words. He accused the union of holding “a gun to the head” of Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort executives. He said the union was now reaping what it had sown with the “unfortunate” job losses of more than 600 resort employees.

In a word of advice to the union “and those who believe they are free to do as they please under private ownership”, Mr Miller in his usual colourful language, recommended that the workers carry- you-know what and look for another job if dissatisfied with the way the resort was operated.

Bishop Walter Hanchell, obviously unaware of the matters before the courts, accused the resort of “gross injustice” by using the workers as “pawns” in its feud with the hotel. He demanded that the 600 workers be “rehired immediately”. Even government cannot make such demands of private enterprise. How can government trespass across Sandals’ threshold when Sandals has obviously decided there is to be no settlement until the courts determine certain outstanding matters between their hotel and the union? Maybe the good Bishop expects government to step in and bully the court. He only has to look at the stupid situation the House is now in because of the high-handed behaviour of some of its members, to understand that this is out of the question.

With this attitude supporting them, no wonder the union feels emboldened to bring the country down. The union has given the Prime Minister 48 hours to meet their demands, or else…

“We are saying to the Government do the right thing,” said TUC president Obie Ferguson. “We have taken a very strong view in this matter. It’s a legal matter, it is a sovereignty issue, a matter affecting all Bahamians.”

It certainly is a matter affecting all Bahamians. Mr Ferguson is ostensibly fighting to save the jobs of 600 Bahamians, but to do this he is prepared to destroy the Bahamas and the jobs of thousand of Bahamians. As a matter of fact Sandals is now in the process of hiring for the reopening of the hotel. It is presumed that loyal employees will be rehired — who these will be is for the owners to decide, not the union.

Fifty-eight years ago, when a struggling Bahamas, facing near bankruptcy was about to launch the country as a tourist and offshore financial centre, a labour dispute erupted. As the new airport was about to open in November 1957 a dispute broke out as to how business was to be shared between the taxis, and private tour businesses. On November 2 and 3, the taxi union blocked the airport with their taxis, forcing the airlines to cancel flights, and virtually closing the tourist business. The late Sir Clifford Darling, then head of the taxi union, later explained that “the blockade had nothing to do with politics or race. It was share business deal. All of us were ready to go to jail if that’s what it took.” This eventually led to the general strike of 1958 when all the hotels closed and the city went into lock down. The governor called for help. Britain sent a warship and British troops from Jamaica to reinforce the 300-member Bahamian police force. That was 58 years ago. Is this perchance, what TUC leader Ferguson and NCTU president John Pinder are suggesting? Only this time there is no Britain to call on – we are now on our own.

In The Bahamas, we have some very well-educated Bahamians in all fields of enterprise. We also have Bahamians of little if any qualifications, but who expect to get the same remuneration as those who are qualified and hard working.

So what we are now about to say is directed only to Bahamians who expect the world and all its goodies to fall into their laps without an effort on their part. And, in this the unions have been the greatest aider and abettor of the malingerer. We have known persons who have been employed, failed to measure up, but when fired have run to their union for support. Instead of assisting the worker by encouraging him to improve his attitude and his work ethic, the union rushes to his/her defence, demanding that they be rehired.

This is what is wrong with the civil service. No matter the level of their performance, short of stealing, they cannot be fired. And so the failures are recycled throughout the system, degrading whatever department they enter.

Not so in private enterprise. An employe either does a job to the standard required, or is fired. However, some join on their terms and expect the organisation to adapt to accommodate them. In private enterprise there is no recycling. If an employe does not like the rules, he/she finds another job.

If the unionist understood this, the standard of labour in this country would improve.

We feel tremendous sympathy for those who have lost their jobs at Sandals, but we are satisfied that the bullying attitude of union leaders did not – and will not – help their cause.