The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) last night said line staff earned average “cash compensation” of almost $58,000 during its 2020 financial year as industrial relations at the utility appeared to further sour.

The state-owned energy supplier, in a statement that appeared designed to portray its Bahamas Electrical Worker Union (BEWU) line staff as well-paid after several staged a sick-out yesterday over negotiations on a new industrial deal, said some 77 non-executive employees last year earned more than $100,000 via a combination of base salary and overtime.

BPL said it had made a counter-proposal to the BEWU’s industrial agreement on Tuesday, and described yesterday’s sick-out - which some union representatives alleged involved up to 60 percent of line staff - as “regrettable”.

“We would like to make it clear the company is - and has been - eager to sign an industrial agreement with the BEWU,” BPL said. “We have honoured the spirit of the industrial agreement which expired in April 2018 to the extent that every increment and bonus has been paid up to June 30, 2021.

“We reiterate that despite the depressed economy as a result of COVID-19, no employee was laid off and we continued to meet all of our financial obligations under the expired contract. Even now we await the BEWU counter-offer so that negotiations can continue in good faith.”

One source with contacts in BPL management and its unions, speaking on condition of anonymity, described yesterday’s sick-out by the BEWU and its members as posturing designed to signal their dissatisfaction with BPL’s offer and increase the pressure on management/government for improved terms.

They added: “I guess they’ve got a point to prove. They’ve got to do what they’ve got to do. Management gave them a counter-offer and they didn’t accept it. They’re putting some pressure on, that’s all. There ain’t nothing to worry about.”

The source said BPL had offered BEWU members a “lump sum” equal to the Christmas bonus rather than a percentage salary increase. “I guess they’re going through the motions,” they added of the union. “I wouldn’t be too worried about it. The prime minister and deputy prime minister will step in and deal with it. It won’t get out of hand because they’ll get involved.”

BPL last night said that despite the industrial agreement expiring in April 2018, it had still paid annual increment and incentive bonuses totaling $511,739 for that year. “In December 2018, we paid the annual bonus – ranging from $700 to $1,000 per employee - for a total payment of $578,200,” it added.

“In 2019, the total increment and incentives paid amounted to $810,540. In 2020, the figure was $796,667, and the figure will likely be around the same for 2021. In Fiscal 2019, BEWU members were paid a base salary of $32.1m. Line union members were paid $10.6m in overtime.

“Average cash compensation to BPL line union members in fiscal year 2019 was $54,031. The company paid total cash compensation to line staff of $42.7m in fiscal year 2019. In fiscal year 2020, the company paid total cash compensation to BPL line staff of about $45.8m - $31.6m in base salaries and $14.2m in overtime. Average cash compensation to BPL line staff was $57,959.

“Also in fiscal year 2020, 77 BPL employees who were non-executives took home $100,000 or more in cash (base salary and overtime). One hundred and nine employees took home overtime equivalent to 100 percent or more of their base salary, and 256 employees took home overtime equivalent to 50 percent or more of their base salary.”

Turning to the benefits received by BPL line staff, and particularly health insurance, BPL said: “Seventy percent of BPL employees have 100 percent of their individual health insurance paid by BPL, and 30 percent of BPL employees have 70 percent of their individual health insurance paid by the company.

“It is to be noted that the three percent increase in health insurance premiums last year amounted to an additional $3.36 per month for BPL employees, and $7.83 paid by BPL for the individual health insurance premiums, and that the health coverage benefits for all BPL employees remained the same as a result of the increase in premiums.

“It is also to be noted that 95 percent of BPL employees are enrolled in the defined benefit plan, where the company pays 100 percent of the pension equivalent to about 15 percent of the employee’s base salary. The remaining five percent of BPL employees are enrolled in the defined contribution plan, where BPL pays up to five percent of the employees’ pension, and employees can contribute as much as they wish to the plan.”