Claiming that they have suffered injustices and other unfair treatment since 1994, the workers, led by Shop Steward, Carl Kemp, engaged in a "peaceful assembly" which began promptly at 8 a.m. outside the gates of the Corporation.
The demonstration concluded one hour later without there being any work stoppage or "withdrawal of labour".
Their protest came as the Bahamas Electricity Workers Union awaits a decision on the future employment of their colleague, Timothy Moore, who was fired several weeks ago for allegedly being an "uncooperative and disruptive" employee who "demonstrated an unwillingness" to cooperate with "the goals and objectives of the Corporation."
Topping the workers' list of grievances and concerns, Mr. Kemp said, was the fact that they are working 42 hours per week, but are only being paid for 40 hours. This has been the case since 1994, it was claimed.
According to Mr. Kemp: "The contract that they were under at the time and still working under now, dictates that they work 42-hours per week. Every week they are owed two hours in overtime in normal rate pay and two hours in shift premium, because a shift worker gets a premium every hour per shift because of the hours he has to work. They are just asking for that money.
"We went through all the necessary procedures, including the Tribunal," he continued. "Last year, the Corporation's attorney at the time, in October at the Tribunal said that they would like to settle this matter in-house, and being a labour advocate for the employees, agreed that we would settle this in-house.
"I have gotten no positive response from management from then to now. Just a bunch of rhetoric and talk," he said.
According to Mr. Kemp, over 30 shift employees at the Clifton Pier Plant are owed back pay for the past nine years.
Additionally, he noted, although the new labour law now states that employees are required to work a 40-hour work-week, the 42-hour week still remains in effect for some shift workers.
"When the 40-hour week came into effect on February 1, the Corporation reduced the hours to 40 for some of the shift employees according to the law, but refuses to do the same for all other employees that still work a 42-hour week. This is a direct violation of the labour laws and we feel that a Government Corporation should be the first to obey the law. We are requesting the Minister of Labour to step in and order the Corporation to obey the Law," Mr. Kemp told the Guardian.
He also complained about the D/A 12 slow speed diesel generator which was commissioned last month after almost a year of delays.
"The public is aware that the Government and the Corporation blamed the load shedding in the past on Diesel Generator No.11, and as employees we considered D/A No.11 to be a lemon engine. The public is also aware that the Corporation has recently purchased another Generator D/A No.12 which is identical to that of D/A No.11, and we now consider this generator to be a lime which is more bitter than a lemon," Mr. Kemp said.
At a press conference on Monday, BEC General Manager Bradley S Roberts introduced three recently-graduated engineers, who he said, "represented the future of BEC," and would be instrumental in operating and maintaining "all of the parts and equipment in the power plant more effectively and more efficiently."
During the shiftworkers' demonstration on Tuesday, Mr. Kemp also criticised the corporation for failing to confirm persons in various positions in which they have been acting for more than six months.
He urged BEC management to immediately address the various outstanding issues to avoid further industrial action.
Caption: DEMONSTRATION οΎ–- Workers at the Bahamas Electricity Corporation's Clifton Pier Power Plant march into protest to claims of unfair treatment. Staff Photo by Donald Knowles
By Keva Lightbourne, The Nassau Guardian
