The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE new Davis administration has already started to “put money where their mouth is” as it relates to labour relations, Trade Union Congress president Obie Ferguson said yesterday.

As he expressed optimism for better worker conditions in the years to come under the newly elected Progressive Liberal Party government, Mr Ferguson said he saw recent meetings with medical workers as officials holding up their end of the bargain.

He said this was laudable as the government changed only two weeks ago.

“We are very optimistic because obviously the two doctor unions, Dr (Sabriquet) Pinder-Butler, Dr (Milisande) Bassett and the (Bahamas Nurses Union) president Amancha Williams that (are) critical for our movement. They are a part of the Trade Union Congress, and the government has gone on record by indicating that they will deal with them and deal with them immediately,” he said.

"The Minister of Health has said they will meet with the nurses and resolve their differences. That is evident. That’s not even speculation. They are doing what we agreed to do in the memorandum of understanding. So, all the other issues, all the other areas involving the bargaining unit will be dealt with and dealt with in a timely basis.

“They have only been in office not even a month yet, but the evidence so far suggests clearly that they have fulfilled a portion already of the agreement and that is to meet with the doctors, to meet with the nurses because they are the key people for this COVID-19 fight. It’s a serious issue so the government is putting money where their mouth is, which is what we expect to happen and apparently it is happening.”

Three weeks before the September 16 general election, the TUC and National Congress of Trade Unions Bahamas signed a MoU committing the PLP to ensuring that long-standing union issues were resolved, and the functions of the united unions continued in the best interest of workers.

At the time, what was in the MoU was not disclosed. However, later Peter Goudie, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation’s (BCCEC) labour division chief, told Tribune Business the pledge to double the redundancy pay ceiling from 12 to 24 months could inflict an “astronomical” cost on struggling businesses at a time when the country was reeling from its worst-ever economic and fiscal crisis.

Nonetheless, Mr Ferguson said yesterday the umbrella unions were in the process of scheduling a meeting with the government on the MoU.

“We are in the process of scheduling a meeting with the government with a view of addressing all of the issues that we have agreed to, but we realise they are a new government, and they have to sort themselves out," said Mr Ferguson.

"The new ministers will have to become familiarised with their functions and I am satisfied that all efforts have been made to begin that process to bring industrial relations to where it ought to be and to have workers issues respected and we intend to do just what we agreed to do,” he said.

“So, I would suspect that in short order we would begin the process. We know the government has done a very fantastic thing and that is acknowledged that they will deal with, negotiate with and consult with the two doctor unions under the Trade Union Congress and the nurses under the Trade Union Congress. The government has fulfilled at least one of its promises and that is to respect, consult and to negotiate with the labour movement.”

As for calls for a livable wage, which is also another part of the MoU, Mr Ferguson said it was still high on their agenda. However, he said the government would be given time on this aspect as the economy was still not at its best.

“We are going to give them time. The economy is not in the best shape. We understand that and we understand the implication of a living wage and me and my colleagues we will discuss with the government. We will take all the variables into consideration, and we will come up with something that is mutually beneficial for the economy and mutually beneficial to the working people of our country,” he said.

The country’s minimum wage is currently $210 a week and in its Blueprint for Change, the Progressive Liberal Party promised a minimum wage to increase to $250 if elected.

Previously Mr Ferguson had said that any political party not talking about a “living wage” was out of touch with the needs of Bahamian workers.

He supports the University of The Bahamas’ previous study that a living wage for New Providence and Grand Bahama should be $2,625 and $3,550 per month respectively.

He told The Tribune recently his position on this was “very strong”.