The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE 

Tribune Chief Reporter 

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

OPERATIONS at the University of The Bahamas remained unaffected despite some staff members reportedly calling in sick, raising fears of a sickout.

In a statement, UB said it received no communication from the Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU), which represents clerical staff, janitors, administrators and other staff, concerning the matter.

BPSU President Kimsley Ferguson couldn’t confirm the reported action, which occurred as students returned to campus for the new semester.

“Today, we served our students as usual and without interruption. Over the coming days and into next week, orientation activities, academic advisement, and bill payment will continue as scheduled,” UB said.

“We thank our team members who have worked diligently to ensure uninterrupted operations and remain dedicated to providing an exceptional experience for our students and the general public.”

Union of Tertiary Educators of The Bahamas (UTEB) President Daniel Thompson, who also heads UB’s School of Business, said he was informed that three staff members did not report to work.

While he could not confirm what prompted the action, Mr Thompson said he understands that the BPSU was still negotiating a new industrial agreement.

He called for better leadership in the union, noting that several BPSU

members had approached him for representation.

“I am just tired of the janitors and the security persons coming to me complaining about the inability of their leadership to address the issues,” Mr Thompson told The Tribune.

“My position is that good union leadership ought to know how to resolve the issues for the benefit of its members, like we do at UTEB. We don’t let things run out. We sit down, we negotiate the best conditions for our workers and my advice to the BPSU’s leadership is that they must learn how to negotiate, strategise and get the best benefits for their members.”

Tension between UB staff and the institution have been high since last year, when workers repeatedly staged a protest demanding a long-overdue salary review.

Last year, Janyne Hodder, UB’s acting president, acknowledged the workers’ concerns and pledged to hold meetings to address the issue. However, the outcome of those meetings remains unclear.