State Minister Responds to Industrial Action Taken by WSC Unions

NASSAU, Bahamas -- Minister of State for the Environment the Hon. Phenton Neymour responded to Monday’s industrial action taken by workers and managers of the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) and their threats of more industrial action.

“The Government of The Bahamas is disappointed by what it considers premature and unreasonable action of demonstrating employees from the Bahamas Utilities Services and Allied Workers Union (BUSAWU) and the Water and Sewerage Managers Union (WSMU),” Mr. Neymour said during a press conference on Wednesday.

“Clearly both unions, specifically the Management Union, are distancing themselves from their responsibility to efficiently provide quality products and services to the Bahamian people.”

He said calling their “strike” a “press conference”, BUSAWU and WSMU made a number of claims; chief among them being that the government had suspended negotiations.

“This is untrue,” Mr. Neymour explained. The Minister advised that at the request of both unions, a meeting was held.

“At the meeting, the Government’s position was continuously reiterated, which is that the Government of The Bahamas is not in a position to grant salary increases at this time, due in large part to current local and global economic realities.”

Mr. Neymour said both Unions abruptly walked out of the meeting upon hearing the Government’s position.

He added that despite the country’s financial situation, the Government has continued addressing and granting increments, promotions and other monetary benefits in the normal manner.

Mr. Neymour also said that employees of the WSC are among the more highly paid employees in the country with greater benefits than most.

“The Unions do not appear to understand the present global recession, nor do they appear to empathise with other others who have recently lost employment or have been asked to sacrifice with unpaid leave in order to maintain full employment of their peers.”

He noted that the Unions recommended water hikes to help fund proposed salary increases at a time when collections are significantly down as a result of challenges faced by customers to pay their utility bills due either to unemployment or the economic recession. 

“This is inconsiderate and irresponsible of the Unions,” the Minister said. “What the Government finds most alarming is that both Unions have, by their actions and statements, issued a threat to the Bahamian people while emphasising their love for country at a time when the country, and in fact the world, faces the greatest economic challenges and when record numbers of employees are becoming unemployed.”

He said, “Rather than saying, ‘what can we do to improve efficiency and services to the public’, they have said, ‘what more can we get for ourselves’ in so doing, they are attempting to compound the challenges faced by the water sector.

“It is particularly disturbing and disappointing to see Managers acting contrary to their inherent responsibility to ensure the efficient running of the organisation but rather engaging in and supporting undisciplined behaviour.

“The Government considers this an irresponsible and malicious action and encourages the Unions and their membership to act responsibly and in the nation’s best interest,” Mr. Neymour said.