DESTINY JOHNSON
Journal Staff Writer
After months of negotiations, a five-year industrial agreement has been finalized and signed
between Bahamas Power and Light Company (BPL) and the Bahamas Electrical Utility
Managerial Union (BEUMU).
The signing on Tuesday afternoon, at the Office of the Prime Minister, while it came with some
disappointment, there was also much enthusiasm.
Minister of Energy and Transport Jobeth Coleby- Davis said the signing is a demonstration of the
government’s continued commitment to Bahamian workers.
“The lifespan of this agreement is five years and provisions have been made for four negotiated
increments, review of allowances, which I’m advised was not done for more than 15 years, and
the recognition of paternity leave. The government of The Bahamas believes in cultivating strong
labor relations and today’s signing is demonstration of our continued commitment to the
Bahamian workers and creating a productive working environment,” she told union members.
“As the minister of energy, it is not lost on me that today’s signing is occurring against the
backdrop of deep public concerns with consistent energy supply and elevated electricity bills.
These concerns are felt by both residential and business consumers. It is my full expectation that
consumers will see and feel relief in very short order.”
The union’s last agreement expired in 2018.
President of the BEUMU Christopher Hanna said although they did not get everything they
wanted in the agreement, they are satisfied and ready to work with management to provide safe
and economical electricity.
“There, were many things that the union wanted in the industrial agreement that we didn’t get. I
will say I’ll just speak to one item which is the shift rate. We wanted to come on par with
everybody else who making $3 hour for shift rate and I think we at $1.55. But because the
contract was fair straight around, we kind of let that go. But there’s a lot that we feel we what we
wanted that we didn’t get. We are satisfied with the industrial agreement,” President Hanna said.
CEO of BPL Shavaughn Cambridge noted the importance of BPL to include paternity leave in
this industrial agreement.
“Well, when you look at it in terms of family life and everything today, we tried to be, I guess it’s
not equal treatment since we don’t really carry the baby, but equitable treatment and so we saw
the need. At BPL we try to encourage family and you can’t do what we do without being
comfortable, so individuals have to spend that time and do some of the formative and the

bonding stages. So, the union felt it to be something that they wanted and we saw the merits in
it,” he said.
This addition will be available to all workers in the company.