The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

A PAYROLL delay at ZNS has led the union representing staff at the state broadcaster to label management as “disrespectful” due lack of earlier notice about the hiccup.

Staff at the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas are paid on the 15th of each month. President of the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union Dino Rolle told The Tribune he was called by management early yesterday morning and told staff salaries would be late.

“This is so disrespectful,” an irate Mr Rolle said. “I am disappointed that we are at this place where salaries have to be delayed. Unfortunately, the union was just made aware of this delay this morning (Wednesday), the day when salaries should have been paid. I find that most disrespectful. I know that management would have been aware of this delay prior to today and they should have made communication to the union because we speak to and on behalf of those persons.

“My members have financial obligations just like everyone else. Management should have not just communicated this to them on the day that they were expecting to be paid. And this is one of the cries that I have been getting repeatedly from my members at ZNS that there is a lack of communication from management. I cry shame on them for that because I have tried to ask management over and repeatedly to do better.”

Mr Rolle used Gary Sinclair, the CEO of BTC, as an example. He said Mr Sinclair has been in Jamaica, where BTC’s parent company is headquartered, but he communicates with his staff on a weekly basis. He said both the general manager and chairman of ZNS are on the premises daily therefore the staff there should never be lacking for information.

“It is a total lack of respect,” he said. “I have to call it for what it is. My members at the Broadcasting Corporation are sensitive to the times we are in. They realise we are in a pandemic and that management at ZNS relies on subvention from the government. If there is a delay in that subvention then communicate that to the staff.

“When I was called, management said there was a delay in the transferring of funds. They indicated that the staff might get paid tomorrow due to the delay.”

The Tribune also spoke with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest who responded very briefly on the matter.

He said: “From what I understand it was an administrative issue, but that’s all I can say at the moment.”

A staff member of ZNS told The Tribune that the broadcaster is allegedly continuously late with salaries and on the 15th of each month, most of them cross their fingers that they are paid on time.

“I am not shocked,” the staff member, who did not want to be named, said. “This happens from time to time. What I am shocked about is that we were actually told on the day that pay would be late. Normally there is nothing said to us and we have to keep checking the bank to see if we got paid. That’s just how disrespectful these people are. We are here doing our work, but when it’s time to get paid, we have to wonder if we are going to get paid.

“I wouldn’t even mention overtime payments. That’s a joke. You work the much-needed overtime and you either do not get paid or you get paid for it months and months later. But everyone just sucks it up because I guess they need their jobs.”

The union is hopeful that the staff at ZNS will be paid today.