The Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) will not relent in its protest against the government and will hold a general meeting for teachers in New Providence today to poll them on whether they support taking a strike vote, BUT President Belinda Wilson said yesterday at a press conference at the union's headquarters.

Wilson said many teachers are frustrated and in their fourth week of work-to-rule.

She added that if the majority of teachers support a strike vote today, the union would inform the Ministry of Labour and set a date for that poll.

The BUT has communicated to the International Labour Organization (ILO) on denial of access to school campuses for the union and health and safety concerns at Stephen Dillet and Uriah McPhee Primary Schools.

Those are just some of the concerns the BUT says it has with the Ministry of Education.

Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald has previously said the BUT will only be allowed on campuses during afterschool hours, or in the case of an emergency. But Wilson insists that the Ministry of Education cannot deny the union access during school hours.

As it relates to the health and safety concerns, Fitzgerald has also said the ministry has spent over $700,000 on repairs to both schools.

Last week, Director of Labour Robert Farquharson warned the union to refrain from industrial action because several trade disputes it filed against the government have been sent to the Industrial Tribunal for arbitration. According to Farquharson, industrial action while disputes are before the tribunal could get teachers jail time or fines.

Wilson said she is unaware of the specific disputes that are before the tribunal and added that the law Farquharson specified would only apply if the union is currently engaged in strike action.

"The Bahamas Union of Teachers, we have [not gone on strike] as yet and we know what it is that we would need to do," she said. "We know the protocol if we are going to take a strike.

"We will continue to assemble. We will continue to protest. We will continue to demonstrate despite any vile threats that would have come from the director of labor who was totally out of order."

Wilson said she was "taken aback" that Farquharson would focus his attention solely on the BUT when there are many unresolved disputes with other unions.

When contacted for comment yesterday, Fitzgerald said the union wants to threaten and bully the government to get its own way instead of resolving disputes through the right process. "I think it's unfortunate and I think it's unnecessary.

In many cases it's illogical as well because it really has nothing to do with pay or benefits or rights of teachers," he said.

"The issues which they are raising really don't impact its members. Issues which did involve the teachers, I think we have addressed to a great extent."

The BUT filed seven trade disputes against the Ministry of Education between September 2 and 25, Farquharson said last week.

According to the director, three conciliation meetings were held that month to address the issues. On November 6, the BUT issued a cease order for all teachers who normally participate in afterschool activities as the union began work to rule action throughout the country.

Last Wednesday, hundreds of teachers demonstrated outside the House of Assembly. At the time, Wilson said Fitzgerald failed to address major breaches, namely the union's inability to access school campuses and to post notices on school boards.

The protest came even though the government paid educators $1 million of the $4.5 million that is owed to them. The government has promised to pay the rest of the money in the coming months.

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