A HEARING about whether the Bahamas Doctors Union breached the Industrial Relations Act and will remain restrained from participating in a strike was adjourned yesterday.

Supreme Court Justice Ian Winder extended his injunction order until September 19, the new hearing date.

Trade Union Congress President Obie Ferguson requested the adjournment after telling the court he had too little time to prepare because of a trial that concluded just two hours before the hearing.

Under new terms, Mr Ferguson must file his response to the government by September 12 while government lawyers have until September 16 to file affidavits in response to the BDU.

The government was represented by David Higgins, the assistant director of legal affairs at the Office of the Attorney General.

Supreme Court Justice Ian Winder yesterday ordered that the Bahamas Doctors Union (BDU) instruct its members to return to work, effectively ending the union’s strike action, according to information obtained from the Office of the Attorney General.

Winder granted an injunction against the BDU around 5:45 p.m.

It was ordered that the union, listed as the respondents in the matter, be restrained from contravening sections 76, 77 and 83 of the Industrial Relations Act. It was also ordered that the union instruct its members to return to their specific areas of employment and report to work when scheduled to do so.

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Dozens of Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) employees demonstrated in front of the hospital yesterday, demanding that the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) stop “stalling” the renegotiation of their industrial agreement.

The employees were led by Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) President Kimsley Ferguson mere hours after scores of doctors at PMH went on strike.

Ferguson advised the PHA to not “muzzle the ox that treads the corn”, noting that his union members at the hospital are “hardworking employees”.

“If the prime minister and the minister of health want a fight, a fight it is they will get, and we’re going to do this until such time as we get results,” Ferguson said.