The Tribune

• Turns fire on KFC, outstanding deals

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The hotel union’s president is warning Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) that it could face worker unrest if no industrial deal is concluded “within three weeks”, as he warned: “The gloves are off now.”

Darrin Woods, the Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union’s (BHCAWU) chief, told Tribune Business that he and the union’s members have become increasingly frustrated over what he branded as the fast-food franchise’s “feet dragging” over efforts to conclude a new industrial agreement to replace the last one that expired in 2015.

Asserting that himself and the union’s estimated 350 KFC line staff members have “exercised the patience of Job” in negotiations with the company, which operates as Restaurant (Bahamas), he added on Friday that the BHCAWU will not let talks go past month’s end without concluding a deal.

Restaurants (Bahamas) could not be reached for comment before press time last night, despite Tribune Business attempts to do so from before the weekend. However, Mr Woods, pledging a “no holds barred” strategy, said the union planned to adopt similar tactics to bring all other industrial agreements negotiations to a conclusion, including the talks with the Bahamas Hotel and Restaurant Employers Association.

Those discussions primarily involve a new industrial deal for Atlantis line staff, given the closures of multiple previously-unionised properties in recent years. The BHCAWU is also currently involved in talks on deals for workers at Best Western, Graycliff and Harbourside.

Declining to specify what action the union and its members may take, Mr Woods would only say that “definitely you’re going to hear it” and “whatever we do will catch their attention” meaning the employers. He alleged that the companies are “taking workers for granted” and seem to be mistaking the union’s efforts to foster workplace “harmony” for “weakness”.

“I’m trying to wrap all these things up,” the hotel union president told this newspaper of all outstanding industrial agreement negotiations. “I think they’re taking us for granted now.” Confirming that the BHCAWU met with Restaurant (Bahamas) officials last week, he added: “I told them that our patience has run out. We have no more.

“We have exercised the patience of Job, and the only person who has more patience is the Lord himself. The last contract expired in 2015.... They’ve come to the table but they’re dragging their feet. This is one of five employers. We’re going to be dealing with them one by one. We’re sending a message to all the employers: ‘Our patience has run out now. You’re taking too long. The people are suffering’.”

Mr Woods said all five negotiations appeared “seem to be stuck in this place” of trying to agree financial terms, namely worker compensation and benefits. In KFC’s case, he alleged that the fast-food franchise had offered union members $800 or $100 for every one of the eight years without an industrial agreement.

This could not be confirmed, while the BHCAWU president asserted that over this period the union had given KFC “millions of dollars in concessions” to help the company. These, he added, included health and welfare; a suspension of the long service award; allowing the brand to pay bonuses over time; and a new provision for illness and holiday that made adjustments for when persons are off.

Dismissing the purported $800 offer to his members, Mr Woods told Tribune Business: “I said to them I am insulted, I am offended, I am humiliated by your offer to my members. We are launching industrial action across the industry where we have industrial agreements outstanding.

“KFC is the first. It’s been too long. The company has been successful over the years, in addition to the concessions we gave back, so we believe they should get a fair portion back; a fair and equitable portion. You cannot tell me $100 per year is fair and equitable for what staff have done.

“The people have been working long and enduring long. Their patience has run out because, as far as they’re concerned, it’s not moving fast enough. It’s all because the union is trying to foster a new approach to negotiations. We’re trying to facilitate dialogue, we’re trying to foster harmony in the workplace. They seem to be mistaking that for weakness.

“We can’t go past the next month without concluding on an industrial agreement with each one of the properties, property by property, so that by the end of the year each of the industrial agreements has been concluded. It’s been too long. No one in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas can say the hotel union has not been lenient, has not been patient with them.... Our people are suffering.”

Asked by this newspaper what action the union and its members plan to take, and when this might occur, Mr Woods said of Restaurants (Bahamas): “We started today [Friday]. As of today. We intend to conclude industrial negotiations within three weeks.

“Subsequently, we want to be meeting with the other employers, and those are the positions we are going to take. All of them are at the same place. We have run through the issues that are outstanding, and believe it has taken long enough. You cannot tell me the union is being unreasonable.”

As for specific actions, Mr Woods added: “All I will say to you is: Stay tuned. Definitely, you’re going to hear it. Definitely, you’re going to hear it. The members across the industry work hard, but particularly in Restaurant Bahamas. You’re talking about people who have to be on their feet for eight hours, working in very hot, humid conditions and putting up with a lot.

“To be treated in this fashion, it’s very depressing... We really don’t disclose our strategy. We creep before we can walk. I can tell you that whatever we do in the initial stages will get their attention because we are tired. Our actions are going to mirror our words.”

The hotel union and its members have been without an industrial agreement with the Bahamas Hotel and Restaurant Employers Association since the last one expired in January 2013, more than one decade ago. A former union administration failed to supply its proposal for a new agreement within the time stipulated before the last deal ended.

As a result, Atlantis and other resorts in the Association have operated as if the previous agreement’s terms and conditions are still in effect and, as a result, BHCAWU union members have not enjoyed any wage or benefit improvements for the past ten years other than those provided at their employer’s goodwill.

Mr Woods, though, arguing that the union always provided employers with “raw” numbers to support its position, while also taking into account the cost of living, added: “The gloved are off now. No holds barred. That’s of now. I really believe they are taking advantage of the workers at this time.

“We put everyone on notice. Don’t call us, call them. Everyone’s going to fall into the same categories. We’re not going past next month. It’s a clear indication of where we’re going. That’s it.”