Despite the results of Friday’s elections not being confirmed, John Pinder and his ‘We Care’ team are claiming victory at The Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) elections.

This win would mark Mr. Pinder’s fifth consecutive term as head of one of the country’s largest unions.

During an interview with the Bahama Journal, Mr. Pinder thanked his supporters and said his immediate focus will be addressing pension issues for members.

“I will focus on the fact that civil servants have some sort of pension for those who have worked for it and are entitled to it and I want the government to establish a pension trust fund,” he said.

Mr. Pinder has been heavily criticised for the dwindling in membership that has occurred under his leadership and while he acknowledged a decline in members, the president said he remains committed to rebuilding the union.

“We will vigourously go after those members that have left and I believe once we get our union in a more attractive economic state we will see growth in membership,” he said. “I hope to maintain the membership we have and I will pursue a membership drive and by the end of the year we will see an increase and by next year we will double the number of members we now have.”

On Friday, anxious BPSU members excited to head to the polls also towed the line to cast their ballots, some of them shared what they expect to see from their union in in the coming years.

“I expect to see a little more improvement, there are many things that can come out of the union, but more improvement is needed,” Vestra Fernander said.

“More visibility and doing the work that the people have voted them in for, be a servant for the people,” Maydawn Murphy said.

“More money and I will get it too because Mr. Pinder will give me more money, landslide and nothing happening with Team Restoration, landslide for Mr. Pinder, he’s a good man,” Paula Crawley said.

“I expect to see representation for the worker, I’ve maintain that the government has always been the greatest exploiter of labour and I want to see that changed, for example we have some contract workers who are working harder than pensionable and permanent workers, they should be regularised, the playing felid needs to be levelled,” Judy Hamilton said.

“The last three years we went through the motions, the union did not step in sometimes when they were needed and stepped in when it was convenient because I see a lot contracts being signed, some of these could have been done a year into their tenure but don’t take advantage of us and don’t think we do not notice it.”

The results of the election are expected to be certified in the coming days.