The Tribune

By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power and Light signed an industrial agreement with the Bahamas Electrical Utility Managerial Union yesterday that addresses pension and other issues.

Full details of the agreement are unknown because it was not released to the press.

The five-year agreement comes after the previous deal expired in 2018.

The agreement follows months of heated discussions between the parties, with the Bahamas Electrical Utility Managerial Union (BEUMU) previously accusing BPL of refusing to negotiate a new industrial agreement in “good faith”. The union was on work-to-rule from mid-August to early October.

BEUMU, which represents BPL’s middle managers, filed a trade dispute in August outlining their issues with the utility company.

The union previously claimed that the staff pension scheme was operating without a governing board and deducted contributions before the authorised date.

Energy and Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis said yesterday at the Office of the Prime Minister that the new agreement represents months of hard work from the board and management of BPL.

“The lifespan of this agreement is five years and provisions have been made for four negotiated increments, review of allowances, which I’m advised was not done for more than 15 years, and the recognition of paternity leave,” she said.

“The government of The Bahamas believes in cultivating strong labour relations and today’s signing is a demonstration of our continued commitment to Bahamian workers and creating a productive working environment.”

BEUMU President Christopher Hanna said while the agreement does not address all of the union’s concerns, it is fair and satisfactory.

“There were many things in the industrial agreement that the union wanted that we didn’t get,” he said.

“I would just speak to one item, which is the shift rate. We wanted to come on par with everybody else who is making $3 an hour for their shift rate, and I think we are at $1.55. Because the contract was fair straight around, we kind of let that go. But there’s a lot that we feel we wanted that we didn’t get. We’re satisfied with the industrial agreement.”