The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Government’s top labour official yesterday described the Industrial Tribunal’s inability to enforce its own judgments as “one of the biggest disappointments”, along with the “frustrating” reluctance of employers to “show up” for conciliation meetings.

Robert Farquharson, director of labour, addressing union and employer representatives at the National Tripartite Council’s first annual general assembly, said: “One of the biggest disappointments is that the Bahamas Industrial Tribunal, which was established to make it easier for workers in this country, to this day is unable to enforce its own rulings.”

He added that some employers would rather pay a retainer fee than an award by the Tribunal.

Mr Farquharson described the ability of the Tribunal to enforce its rulings as “critical” to industrial relations in the Bahamas.

Mr Farquharson also slammed employers who fail to show up for conciliation meetings, arguing that they should be fined as prescribed by law. “We must compel workers to follow the rules, but we must also compel employers to follow the rules,” he said. “There are employers who we send notices of conciliation to over and over, employers who my messengers have sign and accept the notice of the meeting, but they still refuse to come.

“The penalty right now is a fine of $5,000. I have been in the trade union movement for 30-plus years and I have never seen one employer be prosecuted for failing to come to a meeting.”

Mr Farquharson suggested that such employers be made an example of.