The Tribune

A FREEPORT labour consultant is accusing two establishments in Bimini of wrongful termination and has already filed a labour dispute on behalf of one individual with the Department of Labour in Grand Bahama.

Lionel Morley is representing Teneil Culmer, a former cage supervisor at Resorts World Bimini who was fired after four years of employment.

He claims that the mother of two was wrongfully terminated following policy changes that she was not privy to or aware of at the time.

Mr Morley also intends to file a similar dispute against Bimini Big Game Fishing after the establishment allegedly terminated a three-year employee.

In the matter of Ms Culmer, a dispute was filed on Tuesday morning at the Labour Department in Freeport which was confirmed by a labour representative.

According to Mr Morley, Ms Culmer was a good employee and had been promoted from cashier to cage supervisor within her first month of employment at the casino, a position she held until her termination.

“She had a few days off in May when management decided it would change its policy and its rule,” he claimed. “Ms Culmer returned to work and followed the usual protocol that was established over the past four years, and was terminated the following day for failing to follow procedure she was not made aware of or had been subjected to.”

The labour activist and consultant claims that Ms Culmer was wrongly terminated as there was no communication with the employee as it relates to the change of policies.

He said that it was after Ms Culmer’s termination, that letters were given out about the changes.

“This means they (management) were never convinced they executed changes formally and correctly. They could not if they needed to write further and more communication to say what the changes were and we feel they rushed the termination of Ms Culmer,” Mr Morley claimed.

In a separate matter, Shadwick Steward, a waiter at Bimini Big Game Fishing, was also allegedly terminated without reason, Mr Morley claimed.

Mr Steward had been employed three years as a waiter/server. Mr Morley said he intends to file a dispute on his behalf soon.

“In this case, management decided to part ways with him without any warning slips or anything to suggest he should be terminated. And this appears to be the norm in Bimini,” said Mr Morley.

The Tribune contacted Resorts World Bimini for comment, but no one was available to take the call.

Mr Morley said that Ms Culmer wants to be reinstated and paid for the days she was off.

He claims: “They (management) did not follow the tenets of their policy regarding what should happen in these circumstances if there is a shortage or a policy breach on how to go about it. Management failed to follow their very policies.”

Mr Morley said that more attention needs to be paid to labour issues on Family Islands such, as Bimini and Abaco.

“I believe it’s time that the Trade Union Congress and the National Congress of Trade Unions along with the government need to place specific and more focused attention on these areas because these islands are left to fend for themselves, and the only people who suffer are the workers,” he said.

“It is one thing to boast of having investors, but if they do not care about our laws and our people it begs another question.”