The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

and NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Reporters

The hotel union's general secretary says "time is of the essence" to elect new leadership after the Supreme Court removed an injunction preventing candidate nominations and voting.

Darren Woods, the Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union's (BHCAWU) secretary-general, in a notice to union members said the nomination of members to hold positions on the Executive Council, and as officers, will now take place tomorrow, Tuesday, May 15, following Acting Chief Justice Stephen Isaacs' ruling last Thursday.

That ruling removed an injunction, previously obtained by veteran hotel trade unionist, Dave Beckford, and his Team Destiny election candidates, which blocked a nomination process originally scheduled for last week, Tuesday, May 8.

"He's now out of the union," Mr Woods said of Mr Beckford. "The court upheld the decision of the executive council. We made a decision based on our constitution.

"This cost us a nomination day and we now have to set a nomination date again. Time is of the essence now in terms of printing the ballots, getting them to the islands and that sort of thing. We're moving forward."

Mr Woods told Tribune Business last week that his team, Team Phoenix, has asked him to assume the leadership post and he will be vying for the presidency this year whenever the nominations are held. Tribune Business understands that current union president, Nicole Martin, who has held the post for nine years is not offering for the leadership post this year.

Mr Beckford, though, yesterday said he and Mr Woods had "a difference of opinion" on whether the union's constitutions says he is still a member. He argued that he is, because his monthly dues are still being deducted from his salary, meaning he remains in good financial standing.

A frequent critic of the union's current leadership, Mr Beckford said he had been "targeted" for expulsion for voicing concerns over transparency and the way its organisation - particularly its financial affairs - were being managed.

He told Tribune Business that while he may not be on the ballot, Team Destiny's other candidate slate is, thus giving members a choice.

"I may not agree with the ruling, but I have to accept it," Mr Beckford said. "It's almost as if the judge made a 360 degree turn. The members have a choice, and we have to believe in democracy.

He confirmed that his expulsion from the hotel union related to another court case where he challenged the Minister of Labour and Registrar of Trade Unions over whether the union is validly registered.

"We found the union was not registered, and we had concerns about the pension fund and our dues being deducted from our salaries and going to an entity that was not legal," Mr Beckford explained. "From a legal point of view, we felt we were right in what we were doing."

The concerns were subsequently addressed by the recently-passed Validation Bill, but Mr Beckford alleged that the union still does not have a Certificate of Registration. He claimed that union leadership used the situation as "an opportunity for them to expel me for trying to hold them accountable and fighting for the rights of thousands of members".

"I've always been targeted by this administration," Mr Beckford continued, saying it had expelled him under its 'Rule 22' for conduct prejudicial to the union. "Any member who challenges this administration, they will expel them."