The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) employees who walked off their jobs two weeks ago - and used company vehicles to block the streets of downtown Nassau - could soon find that monies have been docked from their pay, according to BTC Executive Chairman Julian Francis. The BTC chief also said other employees who took part in the industrial action will likely be suspended.


Francis indicated yesterday that BTC's board has taken the position that the workers who were absent from work without permission "would have to be sanctioned in some way."

"That could be deductions or suspensions in the case of maybe the more difficult cases - meaning the persons who were driving the trucks and blocking the streets and that sort of thing.


That is one of the sanctions that could be levied," Francis told The Nassau Guardian following a luncheon address to the Rotary Club of West Nassau at Graycliff Restaurant.

Francis' comments came almost a week after Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette indicated that action will be taken against company workers who engaged in what BTC officials called an illegal strike. Symonette advised reporters to stay tuned.

"Appropriate action will be taken and persons who continue to move outside of the labor laws should beware because I think [members of the] public have shown that [they are] not going to accept those actions anymore and appropriate action will be dealt with in those cases in the future."

Francis, however, could not say when actions will be taken against those employees.

"It was too early to do them for the end of this month because things have to be decided by certain dates in order to be implemented," he explained. However, a Guardian source said "deductions and suspensions could take place possibly in September."

Up to press time last night, The Guardian was unable to contact Bahamas Communications Public Officers Union President Robert Farquharson for comment.

Hundreds of workers walked off their jobs in New Providence earlier this month to participate in a motorcade which resulted in the obstruction of traffic in the downtown area for about 30 minutes. Marked BTC vehicles were parked across Parliament and Rawson squares.

Farquharson said the cars were experiencing "mechanical difficulties." The absence of so many employees from their posts forced BTC executives to close all offices that day.

A similar scene unfolded in Grand Bahama the following day with nearly 300 BTC employees, including about 60 managers, staging a demonstration shortly after 10 a.m., bringing business to a halt. BTC vehicles also experienced "mechanical difficulties" in the area of Port Lucaya, Farquharson claimed.

The actions resulted in BTC executives securing an injunction against the two unions - the line staff union and the managers union - preventing the workers from taking any further industrial action.

Recently, Justice Lyons lifted the injunction he placed on the labor organizations, but indicated he would re-instate it if those unions carry out any illegal work stoppages. It was reported that BTC officials argued strenuously for the injunction to remain in place, but union attorneys claimed that continuing the injunction would set a bad precedent because it was inconsistent with the promotions of harmonious industrial relations.

Union officials have argued that the workers were on their lunch break when the demonstrations were carried out. Both unions have been battling with government for their representatives to be placed on what they consider to be the more substantive committee involved in negotiations with Bluewater Communications for the privatization of BTC.

Farquharson and BCPMU President Claude Hanna have been appointed to a privatization advisory committee that had no terms of reference and had not been meeting, the BCPOU president said.

The privatization process of BTC started under the first Ingraham administration. At that time, hundreds of workers were given severance packages.

When asked yesterday if he thinks there will be further redundancies, Francis said "no".

"About 10 years ago, the government did carry out a staff redundancy exercise which was very significant. It was the thing which really re-positioned BTC from the point of view of its staffing," he said.

Francis said the privatization committee does not "anticipate any redundancies."

BY KEVA LIGHTBOURNE