By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas Electrical Workers Union received its strike certificate yesterday, allowing the union to potentially take industrial action against Bahamas Power and Light (BPL).
BEW president Kyle Wilson told The Tribune that despite getting the strike certificate, the union continues to meet government officials to resolve their concerns.
He refused to say whether the union would strike, saying: “Stay tuned.”
“We are currently working with COO Toni Seymour, Bernard Evans and Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis to bring resolution,” he said. “We want to work in good faith, but all options are still on the table.”
The strike certificate came after more than 400 BPL workers who participated in a poll earlier this month voted in favour of industrial action.
BPL staff are upset about issues related to hazardous pay, pension and medical benefits, among other concerns.
They have also expressed frustration over poor working conditions at BPL’s substations. Workers went on work to rule last month.
However, BPL’s management has said they have worked in good faith with the union and addressed many of their concerns under the law and the industrial agreement.
“BPL’s management maintains that our response has and will remain above board and in the best interest of the company’s stakeholders, including our employees and the customers we serve,” the power company said in a statement last month.
BPL CEO Shevonn Cambridge has said contingency plans would be implemented if BPL workers went on strike.
Comments
DDK 1 year, 3 months ago
Yeah, right. What contingency plans will keep the power on, at least as much as it is on in general? This is a Government Corporation. The problem, as with all PBL problems, lies with The Bahamas Government.
DDK 1 year, 3 months ago
BPL!!
M0J0 1 year, 3 months ago
I gone be real, we dont get stimulus cheques nor do we get automatic cost of living increases, so I support them keep the gov. feet to the fire.
themessenger 1 year, 3 months ago
@mojo, I hope you still supporting them when they getting noncontributing pension plans and free medical insurance paid for by us ordinary people who don't get stimulus cheques or automatic cost of living raises either, not to mention the current cost of electricity, my fuel surcharge is double my actual usage bill. Following the lead of idiots like you the government negotiators will do their usual thing and kiss the unions ass to pacify and appease them. "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping hit will eat him last!" WSC.
DWW 1 year, 3 months ago
so all the sabotage up to this point has been illegal then? thanks for admitting it
benniesun 1 year, 3 months ago
repost
"In my youth I detested unions, and wondered why they were allowed to exist. However, after spending years in management and observing the practices of other managers and organizations, I realized that the overwhelming majority of managers are themselves evil. The unions are a necessary evil to counter the evils of management. BPL executives are possessed by demonic forces and are relentless in their evil doings; obviously, they detest fairplay and are ungracious sore LOSERS."
Nothing has changed to this day especially Captain Oblivious.
themessenger 1 year, 3 months ago
The lack of competent leadership at BPL notwithstanding, catering to a greedy , nonproductive unionized workforce merely makes the BPL cesspit deeper and more stinky to us the longer suffering, exploited and extorted public.
ExposedU2C 1 year, 3 months ago
Someone please buy hangry Kyle Wilson a big bucket of original recipe KFC.
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