The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas’ two leading trade union bodies have joined forces to develop a draft Bill proposing changes to the Employment Act and the Industrial Relations Act.

Trade Union Congress (TUC) president, Obie Ferguson, told Tribune Business yesterday that changes the unions are seeking relate to long-advocated issues such as redundancy pay, the establishment of a redundancy fund and gratuities being included in the definition of wages.

“Our position is that gratuities form a part of wages,” he said. “We are of the view that the gratuity plus the basic pay constitutes wages. We now will be proposing to have the Industrial Relations Act and the Employment Act redefine wages to include all pecuniary benefits.

“For example, if redundancy takes place, we want all the pecuniary benefits for the worker to run concurrently from the period of notice. Let’s say there is a redundancy for 12 months, and they are entitled to insurance. They would be entitled to be either insured for that period or pay the worker the premium that would be required of them in order for them to be continuously employed from the period of the notice.

“The Court of Appeal has accepted gratuities as damages, but we want to make sure that it is enshrined in the legislation.”

Mr Ferguson added: “On the question of the period of redundancy, the way it is now is totally inadequate.” He said that limits set by the Employment Act meant that a redundant worker employed for 35 years was only entitled to the same pay-off as a colleague hired for 12 years.

“We are also looking at a redundancy fund so that when companies go belly up and leave the country, employees can collect basic pay,” the TUC president added.

“Both the TUC and the NCTU are putting an urgent committee together to come up with a draft Bill that we are going to propose. Obviously the Employers Confederation would be brought into the picture so we can also get their input on it.”