The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Air Navigation Services Authority and the Bahamas Air Traffic Controllers Union signed a $1.8m three-year industrial agreement yesterday.

However, extensive details about the agreement are unclear because it was not released to the press.

The new agreement benefits 117 union members and replaces the five-year agreement that has been in place since June 2017.

The agreement addresses salaries and benefits.

Tourism, Aviation and Investment Minister Chester Cooper said the agreement would also update management job titles to reflect the new organisational structure of the department; align job titles to reflect new job responsibilities; improve training allowances to “encourage an increase in the number of certified employees who can participate in on-the-job training of their colleagues;” and “create a more efficient procedure that enables the prompt payment of the company’s obligations relating to retirement from the organisation”.

Mr Cooper said yesterday that effective June 1, 2022, salary increases of three increments would be added to base salaries. Effective June 1, 2023, a salary increase of one increment would be added to the base salary. Effective June 1, 2024, a salary increase of two increments would be added to the base salary.

Hinsey McKenzie, president of The Bahamas Air Traffic Controllers Union, expressed gratitude for the completion of the agreement, but criticised the length of negotiations.

“Hopefully, going forward, we will have a better relationship in trying to resolve all issues with this industrial agreement because I don’t think the industrial agreement should take that long because we were willing to have this signed months ago,” he said.

“So, we went way right back to the same spot we started. So, I think next time let’s both cooperate and try to bring this to a quick speedy solution so we can then proceed with better service for the airline. That’s what we’re all about.”