With the recent trend of mergers between several local businesses, the need for workers to join a general bargaining body that represents no particular industry, but workers in general, has become more important, according to Trade Union Congress President Obie Ferguson.
Mr. Ferguson said this morning that the TUC is very concerned that the Government of The Bahamas has not acted to incorporate into law an International Labour Organisation provision to allow for the formation of general workers unions.
The provision, ILO convention 87, was ratified by the Bahamas government in May 2001 and was registered with the Director General of ILO in June 2001. However, Mr. Ferguson pointed out that, the convention has not yet been enacted as Bahamian law.
“As [I] understand the requirements for the convention, member states are obligated to amend their legislation to incorporate the convention within 18 months after ratification and registration,” Mr. Ferguson said.
Because legislation has not yet been enacted to effect the requirements of ILO convention 87 The Bahamas may not be able to participate fully in the ILO, Mr. Ferguson said.
This could have dire consequences for Bahamian workers, he added. According to Mr. Ferguson, the TUC will have to make representation to the ILO indicating that the incorporation has not been satisfied.
“Certainly for The Bahamas to be a part of the World Trade Organisation we had to ratify convention 87. We have ratified it. It has been registered but the 18 months deadline has passed now,” he said.
The Bahamas does have a union that any worker can join.
The General Workers’ Union, headed by Thomas Bastian, was formed several months ago.
But Mr. Ferguson said that the Department of Labour is not receptive to unions amending their constitutions to allow any worker to join the union of their choice, as opposed to a union of their craft.
“The working people of The Bahamas must find a mechanism for the merger and consolidation of trade unions in order to be effective,” Mr. Ferguson said.
Labour Day 2003 will be used to promote the need for proper legislation providing for the provision of general unions throughout the country.
By Darrin Culmer, The Bahama Journal
