The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The hotel union has served notice that it plans to break away from its umbrella union, the National Congress of Trades Unions of The Bahamas (NCTUB), with “immediate effect”, it was revealed yesterday.

Dwayne Woods, the NCTUB’s acting president, confirmed to Tribune Business that the Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) sent the umbrella body a letter two weeks ago advising that it would be ending its affiliation “effective immediately.”

The move came just weeks before the Randol Fawkes Labour Day Parade on June 3, where all unions in The Bahamas traditionally come together in a show of solidarity to support worker’s rights. Darrin Woods, the hotel union’s president, could not be reached for comment on the matter.

But Dwayne Woods said: “They have indeed written us to tell us that their executive team has voted to leave the Congress.” He confirmed that Darrin Woods had signed the letter on the hotel union’s behalf, and said: “We’re not fighting, but that’s what his executives chose to do. Apparently there was a rift in the congress from the leadership of Bernard Evans, and from what I was told they didn’t want Mr Evans.”

With the NCTUB’s convention, and leadership election, ultimately resulting in a controversy that is now being disputed before the Supreme Court, Dwayne Woods added: “All of this divided the NCTUB. Mr Evans has resigned and the Congress has now fallen into my lap as the second vice-president. I have been thrust into the position of acting president. I’m trying to pull the Congress back together. The olive branch is extended to everybody.”

This is not being accepted by everyone. Dwayne Woods said he understood a separate umbrella union body is being launched and organised by Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) president, Belinda Wilson, who is seeking to take other NCTUB union members with her.

Ms Wilson neither confirmed nor denied she was planning to start a new umbrella union body when contacted by Tribune Business yesterday, instead saying she will send a “release in short order”. That was not receive before press time last night.

Dwayne Woods added: “I guess the BHCWU wants to go behind them. Darrin (Woods) is my brother and we have no malice, but if that’s what his officers in a democratic situation choose to do, we have no control over that. That relationship we have will never be separated because we were brought up in that vein.

“The only union that would have left, or have written to the NCTUB to say that they are leaving, is the BHWCU. Ms Wilson’s union, even though it is rumoured that she is starting this new congress, has not written to the NCTUB to say that they are going anywhere. So we are just waiting to see what is happening because right now nothing is confirmed.

“My thing is united we stand, and divided we fall. When the court decides when we will go to elections, anybody will have an opportunity to run and not before then.”