The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune,

I am writing to bring to your immediate attention the pressing concerns and frustrations faced by the faculty at the Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute (BTVI). Despite signing our Industrial Agreement (IA) on July 7th, 2023, we are in an ongoing battle with BTVI’s management, severely impacting our working conditions and morale.

In the months leading up to the IA signing, BTVI’s leadership expressed a lack of willingness to provide a decent financial package for the faculty. However, through our union’s efforts and the government’s support, we secured a favorable response, which we believed would mark a new era of fairness and respect for faculty members.

Regrettably, since the signing of the IA, we have faced continuous challenges. Management has displayed an unwarranted resistance to honouring the agreements made, causing frustration and disillusionment among faculty members. Despite attempts to establish good industrial relations, our efforts have been met with resistance, and attempts to undermine the terms of the IA.

Several issues persist:

Seniority Discrepancy: On August 31, 2023, management agreed to place faculty in their respective career paths and salary scales according to the grandfathering process outlined by the Financial Secretary. However, BTVI Management failed to communicate that they had already received a resolution from the Financial Secretary on August 24, 2023, which could have resolved the seniority issue immediately.

Salary Calculation Discrepancy: Management is attempting to introduce so-called “alternatives” to the agreement, including calculating all years before 2014 as part-time, regardless of full-time contracts, and establishing new salaries based on our old salary points, disregarding the existing disparities in pay among employees. For instance, employees with similar qualifications and varying years of service are being offered significantly different salaries, a clear injustice that the government recognized when granting our initial financial package. This approach is not only unfair but also unacceptable. We were advised that the threats made by the CFO only added to the hostile environment, indicating an unwillingness to respect the rights of the faculty.

It perpetuates existing inequalities, leaving dedicated faculty members in a state of financial uncertainty and undermining the trust that should exist between the institution and its employees.

Class Size Increases: Attempts to increase class sizes directly impact our working conditions and the quality of education we provide to our students, compromising the standards we strive to maintain.

Lack of Transparency: There has been a lack of transparency and timely communication from management, hindering our ability to make informed decisions and causing a distrust breakdown between faculty and the institution.

Sir/Madam, the faculty of BTVI requests immediate action to address these issues and ensure that the terms of our IA are respected and implemented in good faith. We cannot continue working under conditions that disrespect our contributions, diminish our morale, and jeopardize the quality of education we provide to our students.

I implore you to raise awareness about our situation, standing in solidarity against this threat to industrial goodwill and the government’s investment in its greatest asset: human capital. Your intervention is crucial. I humbly beg and cry out to our government and BTVI Board to engage in constructive dialogue with our union representatives and take necessary measures to resolve these issues promptly.

Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to vent. I know our union representatives and members look forward to a timely, positive resolution that benefits all parties involved.

Frustrated BTVI Faculty

Nassau,

October 15, 2023.