A  counter proposal  has been prepared by the Ministry of Education  for The Bahamas Union of Teachers and is being submitted to the union’s leadership. 

According to Education Minister Jeff Lloyd formal negotiations on the union’s new industrial agreement is set to begin within days. 

“I have had conversations with the President, the Deputy Prime Minister and his team has had conversations with the President and of course the President has met with Prime Minister. So while there has not been formal negotiations with the union,  there have been  discussions and those formal negotiations are going to begin. 

“The government has appointed a particular labour  negotiator and those persons are going to be gathering with the BUT to formulate a way forward by means of an industrial agreement,” he said.       

The Minister’s comments come just days after BUT President Belinda Wilson said the union would issue the ministry a letter indicating that they would have seven days to submit their counter proposal.

The Minister added that the counter proposal is ground for discussions,  but could not say whether he feels the union will be pleased with what’s being proposed.

“I believe that it is going to be a point of discussion and it needs to be. We obviously are on the same page;  we want what is best for The Bahamas by way of its educational system and standards. 

“The union is committed to that and so are we naturally,  and it’s going to be robust and I think a very lively conversation with the union and its leadership. 

“Again, the reason that it is important to have the quality of relationship is so that these discussions, whenever negotiations are not acrimonious, bitter and filled with tension, and I don’t expect that they will be. 

“We have had a lot of conversations between myself and the President, our executive team and the Union’s leadership,” Minister Lloyd said.    

The Minister  said he thinks discussion with the union will be fruitful and beneficial to the Bahamian people.