The Tribune

By ANNELIA NIXON

anixon@tribunemedia.net

Several union leaders last night threatened potential strike action as the Bahamas Customs, Immigration and Allied Workers Union (BICAWU) confirmed it will be taking such a vote on October 30.

Deron Brooks, the Bahamas Customs Immigration & Allied Workers Union (BCIAWU) president, told the ‘Enough is Enough’ rally held by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) that his members have grievances with regard to overtime and having to use their personal vehicle for work matters.

Asserting that they are not receiving overtime and transportation payments in a timely manner, he reiterated that the union has taken the Government “to court to get a Judicial Review to determine the legality of hiring public officers, specifically Immigration officers, on a contract”. He added that TUC president, Obie Ferguson, encouraged him to file a trade dispute.

“So on Wednesday, October 30, our union is going to the poll to vote for a strike certificate,” Mr Brooks said. “Now, we’ve been reasonable. We’ve always been reasonable. Our union at one time had two strike certificates. So we’re very responsible in our dealings. We don’t do things without good legal advice. We don’t do things to hurt the country, but we got to do what we have to do.”

Mr Brooks previously warned that the union may initiate legal action over the Government’s contractual rehiring of retired public servants aged over 65. He said was not giving the Government “an ultimatum” to cease this practice just yet after the union issued a statement pointing to a previous 2021 Supreme Court ruling where it successfully challenged the legality of contractual appointments for retirees.

It argued that the latest round of retiree re-hirings meant the Government “was in breach of the industrial agreement [between the parties] and two key enactments of law”. The BCIAWU first referred to article 108 of the constitution, writing: “Subject to the provisions of this constitution, power to make appointments to public offices - and to remove and to exercise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in such offices - is hereby vested in the Governor-General, acting in accordance with the advice of the Public Service Commission.”

It also referred to “section seven of the Immigration Act”, quoting it as stating: “The Governor-General, acting in accordance with the advice of the Public Service Commission, shall appoint a person to be the director of Immigration who shall be the executive officer of the Board and who shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be charged with the general administration of this Act.

“The Governor-General, acting in accordance with the advice of the Public Service Commission, shall appoint such number of persons to be deputy directors of Immigration and Immigration officers for the purposes of this Act as may from time to time be authorised by Parliament.”

Mr Brooks, speaking previously to Tribune Business, said: “I don’t want to give them an ultimatum just yet. The idea was to speak out on it and to give them, or to remind them of the legal implications, and what the court had ordered. Just to have to say again what they’re doing is wrong speaks volumes.”

Meanwhile, healthcare workers also spoke at last night’s TUC rally on the many struggles they are facing. President of the nurses union, Muriel Lightbourn, mentioned concerns over a lack of promotions.

“In March they came and they give me a list of promotions. Out of 100-and-something promotions they give me, what, 25 and wanted to have a celebration. Now you know that isn’t happening on my watch,” she said.

“And so today, nine months, eight months later, I am still getting one and two promotion letters trickling down my nurses and Department of Public Health. I want them to hear 2024 will not go out unless I have the rest of those promotions.

“I still get some people who ain’t got their confirmations not yet working. They aren’t confirmed. The Government of the Bahamas and our minister of health is interviewing foreign nurses to come into this country. Then foreign nurses who are coming into this country will not get Immigration status. Enough is enough.”