The Union of Tertiary Educators of The Bahamas ( UTEB) is calling on the University of The Bahamas (UB), to “come to the table in good faith to negotiate” a  new Industrial Agreement, as the old one  agreement expired in 2017.

During a protest at the main entrance of the University’s campus on University Boulevard, lecturers  of the institution accused the university of union busting,  while lamenting a plethora of issues they have been faced with. 

Although the numbers were small in terms of the amount of faculty members demonstrating, the group shouted in solidarity, “negotiate!”

  Dr. Erecia Hepburn, Membership Secretary  of UTEB  says that all is not well at the University of The Bahamas, particularly with the renegotiation of the industrial agreement. 

“Come to the table in good faith. I don’t need somebody coming to the table thinking they are a dictatorship, the only dictator I have is the Lord.

“So, everybody else has to come and understand that this is [a] democracy,” Dr. Hepburn said.

“The administration brazenly contravenes the laws, policies and practices and even openly declare that the signed and registered Industrial Agreement, 2012-2017 is no longer binding on UB,  despite the terms and conditions being legally vested in faculty.

“They continue to blatantly violate the same,” Dr. Hepburn said.

As for negotiating a new Industrial Agreement, Dr. Hepburn says that UTEB was faced with the university refusing to negotiate in good faith. 

“Negotiations for a new Industrial Agreement started on February 19, 2018. 

“UTEB found it necessary to suspend negotiations on June 20, 2018. We followed up with efforts to obtain legal interpretation. 

“UB’s position, which goes against all labour practices, is that more than fifty percent of our current Industrial Agreement falls under purview of the Academic Senate created under the UB Act 2018 and they were not prepared to negotiate the same,” Dr. Hepburn added.