The Tribune

By Morgan Adderley

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

TENSIONS at the National Insurance Board (NIB) escalated yesterday with an estimated 300 line-staff staging a “sick-out” and leaving many disgruntled customers at the corporation’s Baillou Hill Road headquarters.

The Tribune was on the scene yesterday morning where many annoyed patrons described impossibly long lines inside the building and called the situation an “inconvenience” as they left unable to renew NIB cards, apply for pensions, or obtain other vital services.

NIB Director Nicola Virgill-Rolle yesterday told The Tribune such issues are regretful but said executives “continue to always have an open door with our unions”.

Minister of State for the Public Service and National Insurance Brensil Rolle also addressed the matter yesterday.

When asked about negotiations, which have been ongoing for weeks, Mr Rolle said as far as he was aware, Tuesday was the first time there was an issue with the talks.

He added he met with the NIB executive team and said there is a “strategic plan in place” regarding what steps they will take “if members continue to engage in a sickout”.

In a statement released yesterday, NIB noted cashier services for contribution payments and the distribution of short-term benefits cheques were suspended at its Wulff Road and Fox Hill offices.

Offices in Fresh Creek, Andros and Rock Sound and North Eleuthera were closed yesterday. All other Family Island offices remained open while the headquarters continued to provide full service, the statement noted.

Yesterday’s service disruption occurred one day after dozens of NIB employees demonstrated outside NIB headquarters, after President of the Union of Public Officers Marvin Duncombe said the group had reached an “impasse” in negotiations with management.

Mr Duncombe said unfair hiring practices, a broken operational system, and disputes about compensation packages are among the many issues the line-staff union has with NIB.

Many customers at the company’s headquarters left yesterday without being assisted.

Monika Bethel told The Tribune she was there to get an NIB card for her daughter so the teenager can apply for a summer job.

“I was told the staff is on strike and I would be here waiting all day,” Ms Bethel said. “They have one lady here and she’s only here because she’s on probation.”

When asked if she will return, Ms Bethel replied: “If my job lets me.”

Larissa Rolle said she flew in from Long Island yesterday morning with the intention of getting her daughter an NIB card so her child could apply for a passport.

However, because of yesterday’s disruption, Ms Rolle said she could not get a confirmation as to when her business would be sorted.

“I was told ‘maybe Friday,’” she said. However, she is scheduled to leave the island shortly and so this will not help her, she told the Tribune.

“It’s an inconvenience,” Ms Rolle continued. “I wish I had known that or else I wouldn’t have come.”

Mark Bethel said he visited NIB to apply for his pension, however there was no one there to help.

“It’s an inconvenience,” he said. “They couldn’t tell you how long this is going to last. I suppose I will find out when I watch the news.”

When contacted about the matter yesterday, Mr Duncombe told the Tribune about 300 employees are unwell.

“Many of my members are not feeling well today,” Mr Duncombe said. “Hundreds of them are not at work and are in doctors’ offices all across this country.

“So our actions will speak louder than our words today.”

However, Ms Virgill-Rolle stressed yesterday that management had the situation under control.

“We currently have some service-level disruptions due to some staff shortages,” she said. “As has been the case previously when these circumstances arise, management staff jump into action and are able to cover essential services for the board. At the moment, we have good operations happening at headquarters. And so we’re able to take care of our customers which are our primary focus of the (NIB) and deal with those persons as effectively as possible.

“We’re been in negotiations with the union for about a month. It’s been going very well. I think both sides have felt that way and certainly expressed it to each other. And so we’re at the stage now where we have a slight challenge but it’s one where we believe we look forward to us all sitting back together at the table to be able to reach an understanding.”

When asked if these recent actions come as a surprise, Ms Virgill-Rolle said: “I would say that issues like this have come up before and we regret when they do come up in any circumstance because we like to believe that we can always continue to discuss issues with our (staff).”

“We’re working on it. We continue to always have an open door with our unions. That’s been my approach since taking office and it’s been the approach with previous directors as well. So we look forward to when they are available and wish to come back.”

Mr Rolle also addressed the matter yesterday.

When asked to respond to the union’s threats that they are eyeing a strike vote for next week, Mr Rolle noted unions can take such steps “once they meet all the laws”.

“Imagine this though: negotiations have been going on at NIB for weeks,” Mr Rolle said. “My understanding is yesterday was the first time that they had an issue with negotiations. “Everything was being checked off in a reasonable way. And so they’ve decided that I guess in a show of strength or in a show of solidarity (they) need to take a particular action.

“I’m not interested in that part of the work. We are focused on making sure that the work gets done at NIB and the Bahamian population is getting the benefit that they deserve.”