Operations at several Family Island airports have been severely impacted as staff withdrew labor today amid industrial issues, according to Director of Aviation Algernon Cargill.

The action at airports on Cat Island, Abaco and Bimini come as Public Hospitals Authority Managing Director Catherine Weech confirmed that support staff in multiple departments at Princess Margaret Hospital called in sick today.

Last week, the Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU) threatened to shut down Princess Margaret Hospital and airports across The Bahamas unless the government negotiates outstanding industrial agreements. 

BPSU President Kimsley Ferguson said the union has been trying to get the agreements signed with the Airport Authority and the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) for “forever”.

Speaking to The Nassau Guardian this morning, Weech said while officials were still seeking to understand to what extent other services are impacted, she said PMH’s morgue staff has called in sick.

“We understand that this is action taken by the Bahamas Public Service Union,” she said.

“The other unions, I’m not sure whether they would join them, but they don’t have the same issue, so we don’t expect that they will.

The BPSU represents ancillary healthcare workers, including individuals who work in the public hospitals’ laboratory and housekeeping departments.

As it relates to the airports, Cargill said employees that withdrew their labor are members of the BPSU as well as other non-management employees of the BPSU.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian