The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

DISCUSSIONS remain fluid between National Insurance Board officials and the Public Managers Union, according to Myles Laroda.

Mr Laroda, the state minister with responsibility for NIB, told reporters yesterday that the board is currently reviewing a proposal from the union.

The union holds a strike certificate after the majority of union members voted in favour of a strike in April.

Previously the Public Managers Union (PMU) president Cassandra Lewis said the union would only use their right to take industrial action as a last resort. They continue to hope for an amicable agreement before resorting to more drastic measures.

Ahead of yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Mr Laroda said: “I had a communication yesterday (Monday) with the chairman of the National Insurance Board, the director of the National Insurance Board and two of the executives.

“They would have told me of a counter proposal that the union, PMU, have made to the government in response to our proposal that was sent to the PMU based on the meeting with officers of the PMU, including the president, Mrs Cassandra Lewis, two of her members and the chairman at my office.

“So, we sent a counter proposal to them (and) they rejected our proposal and countered with another proposal and we will review their proposal and respond to them.

“So, the negotiation is fluid, notwithstanding the fact that they have a strike certificate.”

Early last month the majority of PMU members cast ballots in a strike vote, a show of frustration with the NIB following 29 months of wrangling over outstanding issues.

Union members both in New Providence and the Family Islands cast ballots at the time.

At the time, Mrs Lewis said while a majority vote did not necessarily mean the union would strike, it intended to use the right to do so if there was no swift action from NIB.

In the days that followed the vote, Mr Laroda told The Tribune exclusively that an actuarial review of NIB predicted the fund could be depleted by 2028 should officials neglect to take urgent action.

The 11th report of its kind reduced the fund’s potential depletion timeline by one year, as the 10th review had made a prediction of 2029.

At the time Mr Laroda told this newspaper that he was of the view that the situation persisted because the board had run deficits for nearly six years.

However, Mr Laroda raised the shocking development as he made a case for the board’s tight financial position in response to union pressure to resolve labour issues.