The Trade Union Congress (TUC) will move to hold

a "mass" rally next Tuesday ahead of plans for major industrial action, TUC President Obie Ferguson announced yesterday.
Ferguson foreshadowed the rally last month amid a standoff between the government and the Bahamas Customs Immigration and Allied Workers Union (BCIAWU) over the government's refusal to increase workers' benefits. The rally will be held at St Gregory's

Anglican Church at 7 p.m. on May 6.
"What this country needs is a complete shutdown in my humble opinion," Ferguson said during a press conference yesterday at the House of Labour on Wulff Road.
"...So After May 6 you may very well hear a cry from this body inviting all workers to stand still for a couple days."
Ferguson was surrounded by officials from the BCIAWU, Bahamas Hotel, Maintenance and Allied Workers Union, the Bahamas Educators Mangerial Union, Bahamas Nurses Union and, Bahamas Musicians and Entertainers Union, among others.
Ferguson cited several issues the umbrella union has, including the failure of some unions to get recognition, failure of the government to deal with industrial agreements in a timely fashion and the failure to make amendments to legislation that affects workers.
"This is a serious situation. It's affecting a lot of workers," he said, adding that the government has consistently failed to live up to its responsibilities.
"We have to stand up, man," he said. "Don't be afraid. You vote [them] in office and you can vote [them] out.
"...This is our time now and we're gearing up to something that is going to be fantastic and those who believe we're scared and that we won't do anything, let them stay right there. We're not scared."
Ferguson said the only way the government will understand how serious the union is, is for it to take action.
"If all principals decided not to work on Monday morning, if all of immigration decide not to work on Monday morning, if all of customs decide not to work on Monday morning, all of the nurses in this land decide not to do anything, and all hotel workers, and all national insurance, all water and sewage, let me tell you something - we would have a negotiation in less than 10 seconds," he said.
"We [would] possibly have an agreement in less than eight hours. That's what they are asking us to do and they think we're not going to do it. But let them sit right there and one morning bright and early, they are going to find out it [doesn't] go like that."
Ferguson claimed that there several other unions on board with the TUC's plans. He also called on non-union and non-government workers to join in what he expects to be a massive labour movement.
Ferguson said more information regarding future industrial action will be announced at the meeting.

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