The Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) has yet to address the Voluntary Separation Packages (VSEPS) with the corporation’s union heads, but instead presented employees “a cake with all kind of cherry on top” according to Bahamas Utilities Services and allied Workers Union (BUSAWU) President, Dwayne Woods.

Talks of right-sizing several government agencies, began in earnest in 2018, and the WSC’s Executive Chairman, Adrian Gibson, just last July announed that the corporation wanted to “boost efficiency and streamline operations”, and planned to reduce staff by offering VSEPS to between 80-100 of its 420 employess.

But BUSAWU president says no such offer has come to the union.

“Management has not come to the union to talk anything about a VSEP package. But what they did was they went to the membership without coming through the union and told  them they have a cake with all kind of cherry on the top and they must individually come to the office for this cake with cherry icing on the top which is nonsense,” Mr. Woods said.

“That  was very frivolous and vexatious and that’s how the union sees it.

“We don’t want to get into no contention,  but we beg them to be apprehensible about this whole thing and let’s get to the bottom of what we trying to do.

“Whatever they want to do with the VSEP package, the union is here to negotiate it,” Mr. Woods said.

When asked what members should do about the offer by WSC management, Mr. Woods opined that union members understand the negotiation process.

“Our members know that the union is the sole bargaining agent on their behalf and I don’t think they’re  fool enough to venture into that port, small craft must stay in port,” Mr. Woods said.