The Tribune

By MORGAN ADDERLEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

THE Department of Labour has conducted an investigation into complaints by middle managers at Four Seasons Ocean Club that a foreign senior manager was “verbally abusive” to Bahamian staff.

Labour director John Pinder confirmed the investigation to The Tribune, saying it began three weeks ago and culminated in a meeting last week where senior managers from the company were flown in regarding the issue.

Mr Pinder could not confirm whether the senior manager was ultimately fired or penalised, but he did note in the past a similar situation occurred with another senior manager – who was ultimately transferred out of the country.

The Labour director added it was recommended the current senior manager at the centre of this dispute communicate through middle managers instead of going directly to line staff.

However, in the last few days The Tribune has been swamped with calls from Ocean Club staff saying it is not the senior manager, John Barnes, who is the problem but the Bahamian middle managers who have made the complaints against him.

The employees, who wished to remain anonymous, have praised Mr Barnes and are vowing to go to the Labour Board themselves to voice their support for him.

“The complaint we dealt with would have been some middle managers complaining about the style of a more senior (foreign) manager, so we would have done an investigation and discovered he was being very abusive,” Mr Pinder told The Tribune.

He said 12 middle managers at Ocean Club complained about this manager’s style and his “approach to people”.

“Matter of fact, two or three of the mangers even resigned before we (conducted) the investigation,” Mr Pinder added. “(They complained) about his style of management, talking down to people, abusive language, and threats and all of that sort of thing.

“The result of that, we did do an investigation. We wrote our findings to the general manager. We told him that we needed him to understand that (you) can’t manage Bahamians in that way, because (they’re) not going to tolerate him verbally abusing people.

“And if he continues that way, he could end up finding his work permit being in jeopardy… if people complain to immigration about it.”

Mr Pinder said this meeting was held three weeks ago. He added this was not the first time the resort has had a senior foreign manager who did not mesh well with the employees.

“One manager was there already who, as a result of his abusive style the company had transferred him back to where he came from,” Mr Pinder said.

In the current situation, Mr Pinder said senior management flew in last week “to understand what was going on”.

Mr Pinder said at that meeting, which was held last Thursday, labour officials “stated the position”, explained the investigation and their findings.

However, Mr Pinder could not say what the outcome at the resort was for Mr Barnes.

“I know there has been some bit of… proceedings to speak to him about his style of management. And there was a possibility of him being transferred to another area. We spoke about his style when it comes to managing Bahamians.

“So, I can’t say that they have moved him (off) the compound completely, but I think there was some sort of changes made to him having full contact, because that’s what we recommended, him (not) having full contact with the (line) staff.

“We had advised that they go through another manager… because he’s a very senior person. He was not allowing the middle managers to manage. He was just going directly to the (line) staff.

“So as a result of that, I don’t know. I can’t say that they moved him from the property.”

He also underscored that no one in the Department of Labour has the authority to tell an individual to leave the country.

“That’s immigration’s portfolio. We only issue labour certificate and we deal with any complaints coming to us from persons in the work place, any dispute.”

However, some employees at Ocean Club have been very vocal in their support for Mr Barnes.

One long-serving employee told The Tribune: “John Barnes is the best thing that has ever happened to us.

“He stands up for what is right – he’s a fair man who treats everybody equally. He has been here about a year and what he has done so far has been amazing.

“When he arrived, there was a huge problem with a new shift which had been introduced – 11am to 7pm which nobody wanted to do but the management just said we had to do it and that was it.

“Mr Barnes sat down and listened to us. He knew this place is quiet after lunch so what was the point having all these people on a shift when they weren’t needed? No one else could be bothered to deal with us but he sorted it: a new shift – 6am to 2pm – and everyone was happy.

“The other managers didn’t like this. All they’d ever done is make our life miserable, so they turned against him.”

Another employee told The Tribune: “Things came to a head over the Butler’s Section. We had two teams of butlers, some for the villas and others for the main hotel and they worked separately. One could be really busy while the other was quiet.

“Mr Barnes saw it made sense to make it one team, all on one level, but some of the butlers didn’t like this and went running to the Labour Board with all these complaints, saying he had made their lives miserable.

“Next thing we know the Labour Board is here saying he was a problem and we heard they’d told the company he would have to leave.

“The president flew down to meet with staff and asked us how we felt about Mr Barnes. He couldn’t believe it when we told him he was the best thing that had happened to the Ocean Club – all he’d been told was Mr Barnes was the problem.

“Right now, everyone is really angry about the way Mr Barnes has been treated and we are going to the Labour Board to put our side.

“He has always gone beyond what anyone could expect. It is right to fight for a man like that – all of the staff know the truth and we won’t stand by and see this happen. It is unjust what they are doing – they are wicked people letting this happen.”

The Tribune did not receive comment from the Ocean Club general manager regarding this dispute up to press time.