The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE union representing workers at the One&Only Ocean Club has submitted a request to the Bahamas Hotel Industry Management Pension Fund to solicit financial assistance and otherwise for displaced employees of the hotel, Bahamas Hotel Employers Association President Robert “Sandy” Sands said.

Mr Sands confirmed to The Tribune that a request has been submitted to the Health and Welfare fund of the pension fund by the Bahamas Hotel and Catering Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) as the union attempts to secure financial assistance for the 350 employees that have been out of a job since One&Only closed its doors to commence hurricane repairs in October.

The Bahamas Hotel Employers Association (BHEA) is party to the pension fund, Mr Sands said. However, Mr Sands did not say whether or not that request has been approved.

This information comes after BHCAWU President Nicole Martin, in a recent voice note to One&Only employees and obtained by The Tribune, said the union was waiting on a “formal” agreement by “the association,” presumably the BHEA, to be able to access whatever funds are available in the Health and Welfare fund to provide financial assistance to the employees.

This agreement, Ms Martin said in the voice note, came as a result of discussions with Mr Sands sometime within the last two weeks. Ms Martin also indicated in the voice note that she had intended to speak with Mr Sands again on Monday, although it is unknown if that meeting was held.

This resonates with statements Ms Martin made during an interview with The Tribune last month, when she revealed the union’s plans to use an “existing fund” through a “partnership with the employer” to provide financial assistance to the hotel’s 350 employees during the five-month closure.

Based on what was said in the voice note, Ms Martin appeared to have been trying to quell the anxiety and concerns held by One&Only employees, who have been agitating for more assistance from the hotel union during the luxury boutique’s temporary closure.

The Tribune understands that One&Only employees are either currently, or due to receive assistance in two ways: assistance in meeting mortgage and/or various bill payments, and assistance for those who suffered flood damages and/or otherwise as a result of Hurricane Matthew.

According to the voice note, Ms Martin said the association has “agreed in principle” to the union’s request, but had “not submitted anything formally to the pension fund.” Ms Martin said in the voice note that the employees should have already started to get some assistance with regards to hurricane repairs, adding that “persons should have already started to either get assistance or they are processing those.”

However, she said union officials were still waiting on confirmation from the association regarding assistance with bill payments.

Nonetheless, she expressed in the voice note her optimism in the belief that “we are going to get an agreement.”

“Unfortunately the association is not moving quickly, but I believe based on my conversation with Mr Sands, I believe that we are going to get an agreement,” she said in what seems to have been a voice note to One&Only employees in a social media group. “I posted a note in the group last week, where I said I thought that we would have gotten an agreement last week. So it’s not that we’re not saying anything, I did say what I needed to say. As soon as I know something then I will say something, but I did post a note in the group last week.

“It is unfortunate that it is taking so long but it’s not necessarily because of the union, it’s because we need an agreement from the association. They have agreed in principle but they have not submitted anything formally to the pension fund. So that’s where things are.”

She added: “I have not listened to all of the messages, but I know that it is taking a bit long. But we anticipated that it was going to take long. And I am praying and hoping that very soon…I spoke with (Mr Sands), I intend to do so again on Monday, so just be patient everybody, I know it’s hard, but it’s going to happen.”

The One&Only Ocean Club closed its doors temporarily to repair damage by Hurricane Matthew in October. The luxury hotel was initially expected to re-open at the beginning of December, but later confirmed that it had delayed its re-opening date to Valentine’s Day of next year.

At the time, management did not specify what would happen to the 350 members of staff in the meantime, but said they and the unions had been informed of the extended period of closure.

Earlier this month, One&Only employees threatened to petition for the National Congress of Trade Unions Bahamas (NCTUB), headed by John Pinder, to serve as their interim bargaining agent over their dissatisfaction with their union’s handling of One&Only’s temporary closure.

At the time, the One&Only employees called on Mr Pinder, as well as Trade Union Congress (TUC) President Obie Ferguson to intervene over their frustration with the BHCAWU and Ms Martin’s handling of the Paradise Island luxury hotel’s closure.

Roughly three weeks ago, however, Ms Martin said One&Only employees could possibly return to work ahead of the resort’s Valentine’s Day 2017 re-opening date for “training purposes.”

At the time, Ms Martin said in an interview that while the February 14, 2017 re-opening date is still in effect, employees may have a chance of returning to work early because hotel officials “are looking at some training period that is going to bring them back to work before that opening.”