The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS 

Tribune Business Reporter 

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

THE head of the Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) line staff union yesterday asserted that the arrival of workers and equipment from a US contractor “flies in the face of the workers”.

Kyle Wilson, the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union’s (BEWU) president, said he did not like “the optics” as JoBeth Coleby- Davis, minister of energy and transport, inspected bucket trucks brought in by Pike Corporation. The US firm has been tasked with upgrading and managing BPL’s transmission and distribution network through its Bahamian management company, Island Grid Solutions.

A statement released by the Ministry of Transport and Energy confirmed that Pike and Island Grid representatives are “currently on the ground” assisting BPL with upgrading its infra- structure and improving the “resilience” of the electricity grid.

“Representatives from Island Grid are currently on the ground, fulfilling their commitment to assist BPL with outstanding distribution work to strengthen infrastructure and support the grid’s resilience during storms” said the statement.

“Their presence underscores their commitment to being proactive partners in fortifying our energy infrastructure. We remain committed to transparent communication and to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to achieve the best outcomes for the Bahamian people and the dedicated work- force at BPL.”

Mr Wilson, though, said: “The optics of it, I don’t like. It flies in the face of the workers. You come to work to BPL and you see a big truck that says Pike on the side and you see another image, minister working and walking along, say she inspecting the Pike trucks. I never seen anyone come and inspect the BPL trucks, if we have any trucks. So the optics of it... my phone was overloaded by employees.”

He added that workers are “angry” about the minister’s inspection and are more concerned about their jobs and benefits than political affiliation. “People care about their future no matter what affiliation or political affiliation they have; they care about their job,” Mr Wilson said.

“No matter who is the Government, we have to go to work the next day. If I have to go to the hospital tomorrow, no matter who the Government is, I know that I have a good medical insurance. No matter who the Government is, when I retire, I want my pension.

“The workers are angry and the optics of what was shown was poor, and I think someone in PR supposed to say ‘Hey, Minister stay out that picture’. I don’t think she should have been directly in the picture, promoting a third-party entity over BPL. That’s just how it looks. It looks like you flying in the face of the workers, that’s the optics it’s given off, and I don’t think someone’s given sound advice in that capacity.”

Mr Wilson argued that the Davis administration is playing a “dangerous game” by “disrespecting” the union and called for the Government to provide answers to BPL employees.

He said:“I don’t think you want to challenge a union that has its hand on the pulse of something as important as energy. I find this to be a dangerous game they are playing. We dealing with energy. Everything is affected by energy.

“So, I think greater respect needs to be shown to the union not to cause us to have to show or to run up and down the street carrying on bad and embarrassing our country and acting silly because we in a civil country. Why can’t we just sit down and work these issues out?”

Mr Wilson said BPL employees are especially concerned about how their health insurance and pensions will be affected. “People have genuine fears concerning the lack of information and transparency in this deal, especially with the mention of transferring or the secondment of labour to a third-party entity, which we believe is a round about way to separate employees from BPL to Pike without compensation,” he added.

“That just can’t happen as easily as they think or believe. How will this affect accounts, supply chain, transportation and fleet services, consumer services, communications, call centre, capital contributions, overhead and underground services, tree trimming, planning, stores and supply chain... all the various departments? This is people’s lives and jobs we are talking about. You have no right to shun or ignore Bahamian people and workers as you roll out the red carpet to foreigners.”

Mr Wilson said the deal appears to “lack both respect and structure” relating to labour and “flies directly in the face” of the Memorandum of Understanding that the Trade Union Congress signed with the PLP in August 2021 prior to the general election.

He likened the deal to “giving your house away, then asking for a job to clean the yard” and questioned how many of the 200 positions that will be made available in Bahamas Grid Company will be held by foreigners and the pay structure and benefits they will enjoy.

Mr Wilson said: “I stand to be corrected but we are giving away 60 percent control and management of our transmission and distribution assets to a foreign company, then allowing them to raise over $100m from the Bahamian people who will have no say in the company. Then, after a certain amount of years, giving them their money back, but if it goes belly up there’s a risk of losing that investment?

“They claim 200 jobs will be created but how many will be Bahamian versus foreigners? As stated in their investment document they intend to bring in a significant amount of foreign labour. What will be their benefits and wages when compared to ours?”

The Ministry of Energy and Transport, in a statement, reiterated the Davis administration’s “ironclad commitment” to protect the jobs and benefits of BPL employees and honour the terms of the industrial agreement.

They maintained that meetings were held with both the employees and managers unions of BPL advising them of the changes and plans for “blended working relationships, including opportunities for training and development”.

“From the outset, the Prime Minister and Minister Coleby-Davis emphasised that our reforms include an ironclad commitment to protect the job security of BPL union workers: All industrial agreements will continue to be honoured, and all commitments made to workers, including pension benefits, will be met,” said the statement.

“BPL workers know well the inefficiencies and risks of continuing to operate an ageing and deteriorating energy grid, and will benefit from the modernisation and upgrades not just as workers, but as consumers of energy in their own homes.

“And, of course, the fact that there is finally a plan to address the utility’s fiscal woes should be a source of relief for BPL’s workers and their representatives. BPL is carrying a legacy debt of $500m. Without change and reform, BPL could not meet pension obligations in the future. We are not aware of any other proposals that purport to address this urgent unfunded obligation,” it added.

“We have conducted meetings with both BPL unions, initially advising them of the upcoming changes and subsequently elaborating on plans for blended working relationships, including opportunities for training and development. We will continue to create opportunities to share information and listen to any concerns, including in an upcoming comprehensive meeting with BPL staff to provide further clarity and address outstanding questions.”