The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has downplayed ongoing union disputes, describing them as “minor” and suggesting they could be resolved through dialogue at the negotiating table.

Mr Davis questioned the need for unions to escalate their concerns and expressed confidence that the disputes can be addressed without drastic action.

Trade Union Congress (TUC) President Obie Ferguson has said 14 unions under his leadership have obtained strike certificates and are prepared to take industrial action if necessary.

Mr Davis said yesterday: “I’ve looked at those. Most of those issues are really minor. I don’t know what’s agitating union leaders to take the stand they’re taking or their membership. But most of the issues are just very simple matters that should be resolved by just sitting at a table.”

Mr Davis noted that progress had been made with some unions, including the doctors. 

“We were able to resolve the senior doctors’ matters, and the air traffic issue has also been resolved. We are working on addressing the others,” Mr Davis said, indicating plans to meet with additional unions in the coming weeks to address their grievances.

Mr Ferguson strongly disagreed with Mr Davis’s assessment, stating that the disputes are far from minor and represent long-standing grievances that have been ignored for years. 

“We have outstanding issues,” he said. “We have communicated to the government for the last three years that these matters will be resolved. These are not minor matters. The doctors’ unions, the air traffic controllers, the Bahamas Hotel Managerial Association, the public officers, and the nurses all have unresolved issues. These are serious.”

Mr Ferguson explained that during previous meetings with Mr Davis, an agreement had been reached to resolve disputes in phases by addressing three unions at a time. 

He noted that while some matters were resolved, such as those involving the senior doctors, the process stalled. 

“We agreed that three unions would be dealt with at a time, and we anticipated that if that was put into effect as promised, the matters could be resolved. But that has not been done,” Mr Ferguson said.

The union leader also raised concerns that government negotiators were presenting proposals to unions that conflicted with what had been agreed upon in meetings with the Prime Minister. 

“The negotiators for the government matched with the unions, and they tried to put another sort of proposal to these unions, different from what we discussed and we thought we had concluded with the Prime Minister,” Mr Ferguson said.

Mr Ferguson said unions have been patient, refraining from industrial action for over three years while trying to resolve issues amicably. However, with unresolved overtime payments, industrial agreements, and other grievances piling up, union members are increasingly frustrated. 

“It takes two to make things work, and if one side is not doing what was agreed, then obviously that creates a different environment, and the trade union is going to do what they have to do,” Mr Ferguson said.

Mr Ferguson said unions plan to meet during the holidays to determine the way forward, including next steps to address their members’ concerns. 

He added that he plans to request another meeting with Mr Davis to discuss outstanding matters and emphasised that the unions remain open to negotiations.