It’s been nearly two months since the Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) and the government came to the table to negotiate a new industrial agreement and according to Union President Kimsley Ferguson, the union hasn’t heard anything from the government on the financial aspects of that deal.

Take for instance, workers at the Princess Margret Hospital, according to Mr. Ferguson, a meeting was scheduled for today, but postponed.

“I am very concerned, and I am hearing little innuendos about the place that persons are trying to stall the negotiations,” he said.   

“I heard it. I didn’t pay any attention to it.  There are some indications of some things that are causing me to lean towards the fact that that may be what is happening.” 

The union president said he also had a meeting scheduled for today with the Prime Minister and that was postponed. He appealed to those in authority to sit and meet with the union.

“There are Bahamians out there who have the challenge of preparing their kids for back to school and they need relief. They need assistance and so we are going to agitate,” Mr. Ferguson said.  

“We don’t want to have to take any extreme measures that’s going to affect the operations of the Public Hospitals Authority or the public service.” 

“So, we are appealing to those persons in authority, our motto says, ‘reasoning together accomplishes,’ and so we want to be able to reason and arrive at a reasonable resolve so that these persons who are turning the wheels in the public service and the various organizations where members of the public are going to be impacted, can receive some sort of relief and assistance in getting their children prepared for school.”  

Union members are seeking wage increases, a lump sum payment and a salary review.