One week after making more than 600 workers redundant as it closed its doors for extensive renovations, Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort will host a four-day job fair starting Monday -- a move Trade Union Congress President Obie Ferguson alleged is clear evidence of an attempt to destabilize the union that represented employees at the Cable Beach property.

According to a publication from Sandals, the first two days of the job fair are reserved exclusively for former Sandals employees.

Next Wednesday and Thursday are open to new applicants.

Positions advertised include front office, guest services, housekeeping, maintenance, food and beverage and water sports.

Sandals said it plans to reopen sometime in October, but there has been concern from the union that they will not be reengaged.

"You can't tell the public that you have redundancies when in a couple days you are running an ad to fill those positions," Ferguson said.

"That is not the definition of redundancy within the Employment Act.

"The Employment Act, Section 27, makes specific reference to what is the definition of redundancy.

"The job must cease to exist or alternatively, you must intend for the job to cease to exist.

"Obviously, they can't make that case because if they are bringing in people to do the same work, the same job, on what basis could they make the Bahamian public believe that it was a case of redundancy?"

According to the act, an employee is deemed to be dismissed because of redundancy if the dismissal is attributed to the fact that the employer has ceased or intends to cease to carry on the business for the purpose of which the employee was employed; the requirements of the business for employees to carry out particular work have ceased or diminished or expect to or an employee is required to carry out work for a fixed term of less than two years in respect of a specific construction project and the term comes to an end.

Ferguson claimed Sandals unfairly dismissed employees, the ground of legal action he intends to take against the resort.

In a statement on Tuesday, Sandals' legal counsel, Lennox Paton, said making the workers redundant was the "only legal option available to the resort".

Sandals has insisted it had "no choice" but to close the hotel as renovations got underway.

The government has also condemned the resort over the closure, claiming it was not notified of Sandals' plans to close until an August 2 letter advising booked clients of the closure was "leaked" to the media.

Minister of Labour Shane Gibson said Sandals did not advise the government about the redundancies until last Friday.

The job fair will be held at Christ The King Anglican Church, Ridgeland Park West, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Royston Jones Jr., Guardian Staff Reporter

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