Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) President Stephano Greene said Tuesday that even though the union has filed a trade dispute and staff morale is low, Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) Chairman Leslie Miller is still not taking steps to reinstate the employees’ sick pay benefits.

Friday was the last day for BEC employees to receive a full week’s pay check as well as receive their NIB sick pay.
Mr. Miller said the practice, which he called “double dipping,” was done for more than 30 years.

The BEWU president said since Friday, he has spoken to BEC’s management, whom he said has no problem with the sick pay going back to what it was.

However, he said it is the company’s chairman that is not even hearing their side of the argument.

“He is worse than a one man band,” he said, “He is more like a slave master.”

“According to management of BEC, their position must remain the same. They’ve been instructed by the chairman that their position on the matter must not change. There is a clear understanding that it is not management’s fault. It is all the work of the chairman of BEC.”

Mr. Greene said the union has already filed a trade dispute and is now awaiting a conciliation meeting, which he hopes would take place as soon as next week.

“We have a very good relationship with the department and the minister of labour,” he said.

“I would say we have a good relationship with the rest of the government. There’s only one bad apple in the government as far as I know and that’s the chairman of BEC.”

Through it all, Mr. Miller maintains that this latest move is just one that is needed to save the company money, which translates into lower electricity bills.