The Ministry of Labour and National Insurance has announced that at least six trade unions have filed trade disputes with the department of labour and have subsequently taken strike votes on the disputes filed.

In a statement released Tuesday, the ministry said the filed disputes have been referred to the industrial tribunal by the Minister of Labour.

Furthermore, the ministry notes that these matters are ongoing before the Industrial Tribunal.

The unions with matters before the tribunal include The Bahamas Industrial Manufacturers and Allied Workers Union, The Bahamas Nurses Union, The Commonwealth Union of Hotel Services and Allied Workers, The Bahamas Hotel Managerial Association, The Bahamas Customs Immigration Allied Workers Union,
and The Bahamas Educators Managerial Union

The Ministry reminds all concerned persons that Section 77 (1) of the Industrial Relations Act Chapter 321 of the Statute Laws of The Bahamas states that , “No employee shall go on strike, and no employer shall declare a lock-out, and no union or member of the executive committee or other governing body of a union shall call a strike or declare a lock-out in consequence of a trade dispute while proceedings taken in relation to that dispute are pending before the Tribunal or the Court of Appeal.”

It advised workers that any industrial action taken after these disputes were referred to the industrial tribunal is illegal.

Accordingly, the ministry said, any worker who engages in any illegal strike action is not protected by the laws of The Bahamas and employers are free to treat them as employees, illegally withdrawing their labour.