Government negotiators trying to reach conclusion on a new industrial agreement for teachers announced yesterday that the talks have come to a halt as teachers’ union officials refuse to move forward.
The stalemate comes less than a week after negotiations started and two weeks after hundreds of teachers stormed Bay Street in a rowdy protest after rejecting the government’s original proposal.
Lead government negotiator, Keith Archer, told reporters at the press conference that officials of The Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) are refusing to negotiate because they are insisting that members of their union who are not classroom teachers be included in the contract.
The BUT is demanding $4,000 lump sum payment and a $12,000 raise over three years for each member.
But Mr. Archer indicated that it was the issue of who should be included in the contract that has led to the present situation.
The government proposes that a recognition agreement be agreed to which would specify who is included in the bargaining unit. The government then wants to negotiate a separate contract for BUT members who are not classroom teachers.
Union officials say no way and have filed a dispute before the Industrial Tribunal.
The Journal could not reach BUT President Ida Poitier yesterday, but she said recently that the union was not willing to bend as it relates to who would be included in the new industrial agreement.
“We can say here and now that we expect to negotiate on behalf of all of the members of our bargaining team without exception,” Ms. Poitier has said repeatedly.
Mr. Archer indicated that this is a major problem for the negotiators.
“The past several weeks have been a period of unfortunate and regrettable disquiet as far as negotiations between The Bahamas government and The Bahamas Union of Teachers are concerned,” Mr. Archer said.
“While the government’s side has made every effort and attempt to be civil, cordial and accommodating as we have sought to commence negotiations for a new recognition agreement and an industrial agreement, we are sad to say, and the record will reflect, that the BUT has not reciprocated that level of good faith during the process.”
Mr. Archer said the union has demonstrated an uncooperative, argumentative and disruptive spirit, which he said is doing a great disservice to students and the country as a whole.
“[Executives of] The BUT [have] been so disruptive and uncooperative in this process that we have had to question whether they indeed want an industrial agreement,” he said.
According to the negotiators, BUT was presented with two proposals on February 21 – a recognition agreement and an industrial agreement.
He explained that the recognition agreement would replace the outdated one of 1965.
“The current recognition agreement of 1965 predates the Industrial Relations Act of 1970, which outlines the procedures for the establishment of a specified bargaining unit,” Mr. Archer said.
“The current recognition agreement of 1965 prevents both the government and BUT from entering into an industrial agreement as the recognition agreement of 1965 confines the parties to only a wage negotiation, thus excluding other terms or conditions of employment, which would place teachers at a disadvantage to other public officers.”
He further explained that in order to enter an industrial agreement with BUT, the government would have to follow the procedures of the Industrial Relations Act 1970, which states that an industrial agreement must have a specified bargaining unit.
In addition, he said that the industrial agreement would have to be consistent with the Education Act 1996, which calls for a separation of management and teachers.
“The Bahamas Union of Teachers does not accept the distinct separation of management and classroom teachers,” Mr. Archer said.
He said the union was being unreasonable in insisting that the agreement cover administrators and other education professionals who are not classroom teachers.
Mr. Archer pointed out that BUT cannot include principals and other administrators under a teacher’s industrial agreement.
“School administrators and managers may still hold membership in the BUT, however it is the government’s position that they not be part of the proposed industrial agreement, which is exclusively for teachers,” he said.
The government negotiators indicated that they are still prepared to negotiate with the union, while the Industrial Tribunal is adjudicating the matter.
He encouraged the union executives to return to the negotiating table.
By: Bianca Symonette, The Bahama Journal
