As tensions between public school teachers and the government intensified on Thursday, several hundred teachers abandoned their classrooms, resulting in a decision by officials to cut their pay.
“We will not tolerate any illegal action which compromises the interest and well-being of the 60,000 students in the education system,” said Minister of Education Alfred Sears, who called a press conference to discuss the matter.
He said the negotiations between the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) and the government for an industrial contract were “rudely interrupted by an illegal action” by some members of the BUT, since no trade dispute had been filed and no strike vote taken.
“This interruption was also contrary to the obligations of both parties to negotiate in good faith and in a constructive and reasonable matter, as prescribed by the Code of Good Industrial Practice,” the minister added.
Minister Sears said the education of some students was being compromised and he characterized what the teachers had done as an act of “intimidation”.
Singing the popular union song, “Solidarity Forever”, approximately 350 public school teachers who are members of the union showed up outside the Bishop Michael Eldon Complex at the College of the Bahamas as the negotiations were taking place.
BUT President Ida Poitier-Turnquest could not be reached last night for comment, but the teachers told the Bahama Journal that they were outside the office “to show support” for the BUT executives.
Mrs. Poitier-Turnquest said earlier in the day, however, that she was surprised to see the teachers outside the complex.
Secretary General Belinda Wilson, meanwhile, warned that if negotiations did not go as planned on Thursday morning that executives had planned to walk out of the meeting, but it was unclear whether that happened.
Minister Sears, who was joined at the press conference by other education officials and by Public Service Minister Fred Mitchell and Minister of Works and Utilities Bradley Roberts, told reporters that the abandonment of their posts by some teachers has had a “detrimental” impact on the welfare of students and the effective administration of some schools.
He said that in fact at one school, R. M. Bailey Senior High School, two of the three invigilators assigned to invigilate the BGCSE auto mechanics practical examination did not report for duty.
Minister Sears said this caused the postponement of the examination and threatened 12 years of preparation by 14 students of the Aquinas College who were scheduled to sit the examination at R. M. Bailey.
“I hearby call on the BUT to cease and desist from any further illegal disruption of the educational system and to negotiate in a constructive and reasonable manner as required by law and which the government undertakes to do as well,” he said.
“The government has at all times acted in a reasonable and constructive manner in a spirit of compromise to negotiate an industrial agreement. The government will not be intimidated by any illegal acts by any group or individual and expects that all employees, especially educators, pursue their interest in a lawful manner.”
Minister Sears also warned that any abandonment of posts without just cause, including the abandonment on Thursday, “will be responded to swiftly in accordance with the regulations of the Public Service.”
Director of Education Iris Pinder said given that this is examination period in the public school system the ministry has put a contingency plan in place.
“Principals today would have in their possession two schedules,” Mrs. Pinder said. “One in the event of no disruption, and [another], in the event of a disruption they are assured that technical officers from the Department of Education would be in their schools to assist with the invigilation of the BGCSE examinations.”
The government and the union have been locking horns over the past few months over a new contract with the union demanding pay raises over a three-year period that would amount to approximately $56 million.
The government has said that figure is unreasonable and is offering increases in line with those recently agreed to for civil servants.
Minister Mitchell noted that the prime minister appointed a subcommittee to help conclude negotiations.
“We came here to say that we stand behind the Minister of Education, and the Ministry of Education and the direction in which these negotiations are going,” Minister Mitchell noted.
He said the government negotiators and other technical people are very experienced in negotiations.
“So there is no fault to be found in any of those directions,” Minister Mitchell said.
Asked why it is taking so long for the negotiations to be concluded, Minister Sears indicated that this was because the teachers have been uncooperative at times.
The ministers did not say when they expect the negotiations to be concluded.
By: By Royanne Forbes-Darville, The Bahama Journal
