Sign a contract or face a strike is the ultimatum the Bahamas Commercial Stores Supermarkets and Warehouse Workers Union has given City Markets Ltd.
Of the 130 employees who took a strike vote April 2, two voted no. A certificate of results of a strike ballot was issued and signed by the Department of Labour.
Union president Elgin Douglas, at a press briefing at Workers House Tuesday, said employees are in a “30-days cooling-off period.”
He accused the management of trying to keep union executives out of the stores and of forcing employees to disaffiliate themselves from the union.
“Now they are having meetings in all of the stores, telling the workers that there is no contract to sign, and if they go on strike they will not be paid,” Mr. Douglas said.
He said the law guarantees freedom for all Bahamians to belong to any group they want and to associate with whomever they want.
“No company should come in this country and try to take the right away; and that is what City Markets it trying to do.”
Last year, when City Markets employees staged a strike, the company advertised those employees’ positions in newspapers.
Mr. Douglas said a strike would be supported by the 200-member union and the National Trade Union Congress.
He distributed copies of an intercompany memo dated April 7, signed by City Markets managing director Bruce Souder and addressed to employees.
It targeted “troubling circulating rumours” and stressed the need of a “greater understanding.”
“The most troubling rumour charges us, as a company, with failing to sign a contract. This is simply not true. There is no contract to sign. Although City Market has negotiated with the union in good faith for more than one year, there are still several important issues that the union and the company have not been able to resolve between them,” the memo said.
It mentioned two petitions before the Department of Labour. “We are awaiting official action by the (department) before proceeding.”
Responding to the possibility of strike, the memo said “hours not worked will not be considered paid hours (these words were underlined).”
Negotiations between City Markets’ lawyers and the union have been going on since June 13, 2001, and were “relatively close” to an agreement, according to Mr. Souder on Tuesday, in response to the union’s claims.
“In December of 2002, negotiations were halted when City Market learned that a petition had been filed by a large number of employees who did not want to be represented by the union,” he said.
More than 120 employees signed the petition, and a decision about the union’s right to represent the employees is up to the Ministry, Mr. Souder said.
On Monday, City Markets’ officials met with Labour Minister Vincent Peet to reiterate the company’s willingness to continue negotiating.
They suggested a secret ballot so employees can decide without any pressure whether they want the union as their representative.
Mr. Souder said despite a loss in revenue over the past two quarters, City Markets’ employees received a five-per-cent increase in salary and their children are considered for scholarships before other applicants.
By Khashan Poitier, The Nassau Guardian
