It has been said that Morton Salt has the government ‘in their back pocket’, as there is still no sign of a resolution between union members in Inagua and the salt company.
President of the Bahamas Industrial Manufacturers and Allied Workers Union (BIMAWU) Jennifer Brown told The Journal that the company has been telling the government that the union’s issues are all lies.
“If you have a situation, and the government isn’t even trying to address the issues, what does that say? As far as the people in Inagua are concerned, the company has the government in their back pocket.”, she said.
“Everyone is disappointed in the minister because he would not even do his job. As a minister you should not have labour issues going on and on like that. You are the minister! What do you have this position for?” she added
She added that discrimination continues at the plant, as a shop steward was transferred to another area this past Friday with no consultations with the union.
She said, “in addition to that, he was told not to work any overtime. That is an area where the ships come in. Part- timers work overtime. Everyone in that area works overtime, but the manager of that area distinctively said that he should not work any overtime. That is total discrimination.”
Another worker that has been with the company for almost 30 years has also recently been transferred to the Human Resources Department, again with no consultation with the union.
In all of this, Ms. Brown expressed that the government has not tried to intervene.
She also explained that the union has filed almost a dozen trade disputes, adding that union members at the plant had two dates to have a conciliation meetings, and on both occasions, the company claimed to have not received the conciliation notice.
Therefore, she said, no meeting was held at the Labour Department with the company.
President Brown implored Labour Minister Dion Foulkes to come to Inagua and assess the concerns of the union himself.
Last month Trade Union Congress President Obie Ferguson revealed that the industrial issues plaguing workers on the Inagua plant will be heard before the Privy Council.
He filed an application to the Court of Appeal, and the court gave him until June 20th to give it a reason why they ought to exercise a discretion to allow the union’s case to be heard.
If not, Mr. Ferguson said, he will apply directly to the Privy Council, as there are provisons in place for it.
