On Friday June 6, 2014, workers across The Bahamas joined members of the trade unions across the archipelago to celebrate the second annual Randol Fawkes Labour Day. The parade commemorating this event was attended by thousands who marched with their respective unions while many more lined the streets as spectators in support of the trade unionists.
Held under the theme "United We Stand, Together We Can", there could not have been a better close to the festivities than the Junkanoo rush-out, which has become one of the highlights of the Labour Day holiday. Indeed, the pulsating sound of cowbells and goat skin drums accompanied by the brass and Rake & Scrape tunes constituted the best of our culture as a people.
Overall, this year's Labour Day parade could be regarded as a great success for trade unions in their determination to demonstrate their strength, solidarity and relevance as advocates for the Bahamian worker. Despite the success of the 2014 parade, it has become apparent over the last several months that there remain concerns and anxiety among trade unions in our country, with union unrest and threats of strike action coming to the fore during this period.
The voice of the trade unions
It would be an understatement to suggest that the leadership of the various trade unions in The Bahamas has been exceptionally vocal over the last year or two. One only need consider the amount of press coverage union leaders have received in recent months to appreciate this fact. Of particular note has been the increased commentary by union leaders of late on national and economic issues ranging from the protection of the environment, the country's natural resources, taxation of web shops, fiscal reform and review of the salaries of members of Parliament, just to mention a few.
On specific matters affecting workers, the trade union leaders have sought to ensure that the respective agreements of their member unions were addressed and finalized by the government.
Among other concerns, trade unions have sought amendments to the Employment Act to address several issues, including the recognition of commissions, and tips and gratuities as a form of remuneration under Section 2 in order to allow for workers to bring successful claims under this provision.
It was noted that the National Insurance Board (NIB) Act was amended for this purpose, hence it is submitted that the Employment Act should be consistent with the NIB Act.
There has also been a call for the government to codify into local legislation the International Labour Organization's (ILO) Convention 87 which has been ratified by the government, which would allow union members to join any union of their choice and not restrict members to their trade or profession.
The Bahamas is a member state of the ILO, which is a specialized agency of the United Nations. The ILO states that its mission is to promote and realize standards and fundamental principles and rights at work, create greater opportunities for women and men for decent employment and income, enhance the coverage and effectiveness of social protection for all and strengthen tripartism and social dialogue.
The government's efforts
In his national address to mark Labour Day this year, the Minister of Labour and National Insurance and Minister of the Public Service Shane Gibson emphasized the importance of ongoing communication among stakeholders; he stated that "continuous" dialogue with social partners is a fundamental principle of the PLP government and is supported by the International Labour Organization Convention 198.
The minister also noted various initiatives that were being undertaken to strengthen union partnership such as the reading and debate of the National Tripartite Council Bill which is anticipated to be consistent with international standards and best practices as well as amendments to the Health and Safety At Work Act to empower inspectors of the OSHA Unit to ensure safety in the workplace.
The enhancements to legislation covering employees and employer-employee relations seem to be in progress. In this regard, it is anticipated that the National Tripartite Council, which held its first informal meeting on May 29, 2104 will submit recommendations to the government to amend both the Industrial Relations Act 1970 and the Employment Act 2001 to address various issues including increases in statutory redundancy and severance entitlements, the definition of a lunch break, overtime entitlements and minimum time limits for employers to enter into good faith negotiations with the recognized bargaining units.
The minister further highlighted proposed developments concerning proposing an increase to minimum wage and the proposed establishment of a National Redundancy Fund.
In his opening remarks issued at the first Conference of Ministers, Vice Ministers and Directors of Labor in Latin America and The Caribbean held in Mexico City, Mexico in November, 2013, Gibson informed his counterparts on the international scene of the efforts that the Bahamian government was undertaking to enhance our country's most vital resource - The Bahamian people.
He cited the establishment of the National Training Agency, improvements in the system of recognition and registration of trade unions and collective bargaining agreements, and enhancement of National Employment Service designed to match trained and qualified job seekers with vacancies in the private and public sectors as initiatives aimed at improving industrial relations within The Bahamas.
The relevance of the trade union
There is no doubt that the trade union movement has played and continues to play a pivotal role in improving the quality of life for Bahamian workers. The history books ably document this notion from the Burma Road Riots to the General Strike and the election of the late Sir Randol Fawkes in the 1967 general elections which led to the first coalition government comprising labor, independent and the PLP. It can be argued and trade unionists will probably suggest that trade unions are more relevant today considering the economic challenges we face as a country.
However, another school of thought questions not just the real relevance of the trade union movement but also the level of conviction of trade union leaders and their connection to the realities our Bahamaland faces today. This is considering our nation's financial challenges in the midst of rising debt, high GFS deficit, decreased government revenue and high unemployment.
The question often arises as to whether the overall demands of the unions are appropriate considering the aforesaid facts. Another point that union leaders cannot afford to ignore is the perception that they sometimes promote their own selfish interests above that of their members and prioritize self-preservation over the national interest.
Conclusion
In a letter to the editor published in The Nassau Guardian on March 14, 2012, trade union leader, Jennifer Isaacs-Dotson, reiterated the relevance of trade unions in The Bahamas and how the movement has evolved with the changing times by educating their members and preparing them for the workforce among other things.
She further opined that trade unionists should be provided a greater opportunity to participate in affairs by holding roles in Cabinet, Parliament and on statutory boards among others as is displayed throughout our sister countries in the region. She opined that the trade union movement should be viewed as an 'equal partner' in nation building.
Trade unions should continue to help deepen our democracy and strengthen our commonwealth as expressed in Isaacs-Dotson's words: "solidarity forever, for the union makes us strong".
In this sense, trade unions are still as relevant in today's Bahamas as they were yesterday. Additionally, their role in Bahamian society continues to evolve as they foster relations with both regional and international bodies geared toward improving labor standards.
However, in order to achieve the objective of solidarity and strength, union leaders must be mindful of the evolving global and local economic landscape while keeping their hands on the pulse of the workers they represent. They must remember that we are Bahamians first and then unionists; hence, the national interest must come first and should not be superseded by individual ambitions.
o Arinthia S. Komolafe is an attorney-at-law. Comments on this article can be directed to a.s.komolafe510@gmail.com

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