The bickering between Water and Sewage Corporation Corporation and two unions continues, with Union leaders promising that if they are not granted a strike certificate, they will take the matter to court.
This following a strike vote last week that the Unions claim was in their favour. This is disputed by the Corporation’s management. To date, the Unions arewithout necessary paper work to take such industrial action if necessary.
The Unions say that the Director of Labour has not issued the strike certificate. “It’s not John Pinder, the Minister under section 24 which says that for the purpose of this section, a designated officer means a public officer designated in writing by the Minister.”
“So, he could be a designated officer, but he can’t be giving direction. It’s the Minister, the public needs to know that, because he’s all over the air saying he won’t issue the certificate, but he has no authority to hold the certificate. His job is to supervise the polls,” said one union executive.
As for claims that two thirds of WSC’s union members who did not vote on the issue, Trade Union Congress President Obie Ferguson said, “well, holy smoke, how can the Minister determine how the union should function. Certainly, if Woods and Ednel Rolle were able to tell the board how to function, then we wouldn’t be here.
“So, I want to make that clear, there is no legal basis for what’s being put to the public as being accurate,” he said.
Meantime Bahamas Utilities Services and Allied Workers Union President Dwayne Woods maintainsWSC Executive Chairman Adrian Gibson has to go.
“He has gone as far as meddling into the internal affairs of both managerial and non-managerial unions, attempting to misdirect the Minister and the Department of Labour on the strike polls conducted, as well as being disingenuous and campaigning for public opinion, rather than allowing the law to take its course.
“For these reasons we see him as unfit for public office and appeal to the stakeholders once again for his removal,” said the BUSAWU President.
If and when the strike certificate is issued, the unions – line staff and managers – have vowed to strike as one.
