The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A trade union leader yesterday bemoaned the failure of any major political party to promote a “workers agenda” ahead of the upcoming general election, saying: “There is nothing happening for the labour movement”.

  Obie Ferguson, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) president, said: “Right now everyone’s objective is to simply win. They have no other concerns. There’s nothing happening for the labour movement right now.”

He argued that were it not for litigation, the labour movement would be driven into “extinction”.

“The only thing saving the movement is the legal aspect of it. Had it not been for that there would be no labour movement because every movement made against us necessitates litigation,” Mr Ferguson added.

“The difficulty we are faced with, which is unfortunate, is that there is no one politically who is putting forward a worker’s agenda. I just find that amazing. This is the time for them to speak up. If they are not inclined to do that I don’t know what we can do, because we are not running for political office.

“If we were that would be a different story. There is nothing happening for the workers. All of the amendments that were foreshadowed, nothing happened.”

Mr Ferguson said the TUC was still pursuing lititgation in the Sandals matter. The TUC and its Bahamas Hotel, Maintenance & Allied Workers Union (BHMAWU) affiliate last summer blasted Sandals Royal Bahamian for its abrupt closure, which resulted in some 600 employees being made redundant, arguing that it was a ‘union busting’ move.

The resort chain, though, repeatedly argued that the closure was essential for much-needed $4 million repairs to take place at the Cable Beach property. The resort re-opened in late October.