The Tribune

By MORGAN ADDERLEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

THE five-day suspension without pay of a trade union member, allegedly due to an “unwritten and unknown” policy, was one of the reasons members of the two Water and Sewerage Corporation trade unions held a “withdrawal of enthusiasm” demonstration yesterday at WSC headquarters on University Drive.

Dwayne Woods, the Bahamas Utilities Service and Allied Workers Union (BUSAWU) president, yesterday also accused WSC executives of attempting to “bust the union” by rolling back four major benefits — saying this breached the Industrial Agreement between WSC and BUSAWU, the Industrial Relations Act, and the Employment Act.

Water & Sewerage Management Union (WSMU) president Ednol Rolle added his union was standing in solidarity with BUSAWU. He also reiterated his calls for the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) to “sweep” the corporation’s offices for “illegal listening devices”.

WSC executives have called allegations of bugging devices baseless.

Mr Rolle also accused the WSC chairman of refusing to sign the union’s industrial agreement due to a dispute over benefits — despite a court ruling that the union is entitled to this benefit.

Labour Minister Dion Foulkes addressed the matter yesterday outside Cabinet, encouraging stakeholders to resolve the issues — none of which “seem to be insurmountable,” he said.

Speaking to reporters yesterday during the demonstration, Mr Woods said the union is “upset at appalled” at the behaviour of WSC executives, namely the executive chairman and general manager.

“You take a day to say and to bring acknowledgement to the prime minister and to the minister to realise that enough is enough and the people can’t take no more here at (WSC),” Mr Woods added. “Please remove this chairman, post haste.”

He said the union hopes to hold a strike vote at some point over lingering issues.

“We have matters at the Labour Board being adjudicated at present, and we hope that when that is adjudicated we move towards a strike vote. But at this time, all we doing is withdrawing our enthusiasm. You see we to work…but we just withdraw our enthusiasm. We not happy to work.”

Mr Woods also accused the executives of “attempting to minimise the influence” of the union by “blatantly disrespecting, intimidating, victimising and discriminating against our membership.”

Mr Woods said the WSC is attempting to union bust by rolling back four major benefits: union/administrative leave; meeting place; rental space, and accrued vacation.

He added while these matters are being adjudicated at the Department of Labour and the Supreme Court, executives have “already suspended” a union member for 15 days with pay pending investigation.

Regarding the other suspended union member, Mr Woods said this occurred on Monday, when the general manager suspended the member for five days without pay “using an incorrect breach of discipline and an unwritten and unknown policy.”

According to Mr Woods, the issue is that the member purchased a vehicle from abroad, “cleared the vehicle from customs during his lunch hour on Thursday and Friday, then came to work in the vehicle and parked in the staff parking”.

Mr Woods said when the union member returned to the car after working “beyond the normal working hours,” he realised the car’s battery was dead.

He left the car at WSC’s compound over the weekend — which “resulted in a five-day suspension without pay”.

Mr Woods said a meeting was held with the general manager and his management team in the absence of a human resources professional. He said the union asked to see the policy that the corporation said was breached, “but it could not be produced”.

“The union corrected the interpretation of the breach of discipline being used, as the union was the sole professional present, at the meeting, to explain the intent of the article during negotiations,” Mr Woods said.

“The union takes exception to the unfair and inconsistent promotional exercises where friends, family and lovers are being promoted over hard working individuals,” Mr Woods also said, adding some employees are being promoted under questionable practices.

He also alleged there are “inconsistent levying of penalties of discipline to our members from the office of the executive chairman and the general manager, without the experience and expertise of Human Resources.”

He also accused WSC executive chairman Adrian Gibson of micromanaging and creating chaos.

Chairman Adrian Gibson hits back

Water and Sewerage Corporation chairman Adrian Gibson last night said that union members were responsible for illegally shutting down the water supply in parts of New Providence – and warned that anyone involved would be fired and police would be called.

Several areas across the island were affected by low pressure last night.

He said in a post on Facebook late last night: “After an illegal strike action today, members of the non-management union at the Water and Sewerage Corporation are engaging in an illegal shutdown of the water supply in various sections of New Providence.

“As it stands, pressure regulating valve (PRV) alarms are going off across New Providence. This indicates that pressure regulating valves are being shut off throughout New Providence in a concerted and intentional effort to disrupt the water supply.”

He said areas affected included Wulff Road South, Prince Charles, Soldier Road, Fox Hill, Elizabeth Estates, Bain Town , Palmdale, Constitution Drive, Fort Fincastle , Princess Margaret Hospital, Camperdown, and areas in southern and central New Providence.

He said that emergency teams were being sent to the affected sites with police escort, adding: “Any employee found to have tampered with the water supply will be summarily dismissed and referred to the police. This type of behavior will not be tolerated.”