Cedric Moss
01-22-04, - 10:29 PM
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Trade Unions & Industrial Disputes – Part 3
By Apostle Cedric Moss
Today, as I conclude my three-part commentary on this subject, there is still no word about a resolution to The Bahamas Hotel Catering & Allied Workers Union (BHC) and The Bahamas Hotel Employers Association (BHEA) contract dispute and we are told that The Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) and Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) have resumed contract negotiations. We continue to pray for a speedy and fair conclusion to these negotiations.
Management Strategies
Sometimes, based on press reporting and the very nature of union negotiations, it can appear that employers are always the victim of unions and do nothing wrong. Such a conclusion is simply not true. The reality is that robber baron practices of many employers was a major reason for the formation of modern day trade unions. While much has changed through the growth of trade unionism and the passage of legislation that forced many employers to treat employees in accordance with established minimum standards, some employers and their representatives engage in tactics and strategies to wear them down and in some cases to eliminate them.
Beyond various forms of intimidation, one effective strategy used by powerful employers is to drag out negotiations and thereby cause the union to tire and accept less favourable terms than they would under normal conditions. I am not suggesting that this is the case in any of the current protracted union negotiations. I am simply stating it as a practice that is used.
A False Premise
It goes without saying that virtually all informed Bahamian citizens and residents have an interest and concern to see the current climate of labour unrest concluded. However, many seem to hold to the view that unions and employers MUST compromise and come to some contractual agreement. I think this is a false premise. I say this because it should be obvious that unions and employers will not always be able to come to mutually agreeable terms. Obviously, to this point they have been able to do so, but suppose they simply have positions in the negotiations that do not merge to a point of mutual agreement? Suppose this is the current situation with BHC and BHEA?
In such a case, union members should not be forced to work for employment terms that are less than they feel they are worth nor should employers be forced to provide employment terms that they find difficult or impossible to sustain. It is logical that at some point they should be able to part ways with either side being free to terminate the employment relationship in accordance with law and the pre-agreed severance terms between them.
In the case of BHC and BHEA, the negotiations have dragged on for 16 months because they are almost poles apart on significant aspects of the new contract. How much longer should these negotiations be allowed to drag on?
Take a Closer Look
The BHEA has been referring to published information that puts The Bahamas as one of the most costly tourist destinations in the world, and certainly in our region. Concerted effort needs to be expended to determine the significant factors behind our high costs with the view to trying to contain and hopefully reduce them where possible. For obvious reasons, the government needs to lead the way.
Without any awareness of the details behind such a study, I believe it is reasonable to conclude that the cost of labour is one of the significant factors behind our high destination cost. Could it be that labour costs for the broad cross section of workers in the hospitality industry have peaked and the sector cannot reasonably afford to pay more? If this is the case, then employees in that sector looking for higher wages should look for alternative employment offering higher wages rather than trying to squeeze it out of tourism. The reasons for this are obvious and it seems to me that the government needs to be proactive in ascertaining the true position so as to be able to speak forthrightly to BHEA and BHC.
Certainly the same applies to other sectors and industries, so I pray the government will take a closer look at underlying economic issues connected to contract negotiations so that they can do more than serve as a mediating referee in protracted discussions.
Apostle Cedric Moss serves as Senior Pastor at Kingdom Life World Outreach Centre. Commentary and feedback may be directed to: apostle@kingdom-life.org (apostle@kingdom-life.org).
Trade Unions & Industrial Disputes – Part 3
By Apostle Cedric Moss
Today, as I conclude my three-part commentary on this subject, there is still no word about a resolution to The Bahamas Hotel Catering & Allied Workers Union (BHC) and The Bahamas Hotel Employers Association (BHEA) contract dispute and we are told that The Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) and Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) have resumed contract negotiations. We continue to pray for a speedy and fair conclusion to these negotiations.
Management Strategies
Sometimes, based on press reporting and the very nature of union negotiations, it can appear that employers are always the victim of unions and do nothing wrong. Such a conclusion is simply not true. The reality is that robber baron practices of many employers was a major reason for the formation of modern day trade unions. While much has changed through the growth of trade unionism and the passage of legislation that forced many employers to treat employees in accordance with established minimum standards, some employers and their representatives engage in tactics and strategies to wear them down and in some cases to eliminate them.
Beyond various forms of intimidation, one effective strategy used by powerful employers is to drag out negotiations and thereby cause the union to tire and accept less favourable terms than they would under normal conditions. I am not suggesting that this is the case in any of the current protracted union negotiations. I am simply stating it as a practice that is used.
A False Premise
It goes without saying that virtually all informed Bahamian citizens and residents have an interest and concern to see the current climate of labour unrest concluded. However, many seem to hold to the view that unions and employers MUST compromise and come to some contractual agreement. I think this is a false premise. I say this because it should be obvious that unions and employers will not always be able to come to mutually agreeable terms. Obviously, to this point they have been able to do so, but suppose they simply have positions in the negotiations that do not merge to a point of mutual agreement? Suppose this is the current situation with BHC and BHEA?
In such a case, union members should not be forced to work for employment terms that are less than they feel they are worth nor should employers be forced to provide employment terms that they find difficult or impossible to sustain. It is logical that at some point they should be able to part ways with either side being free to terminate the employment relationship in accordance with law and the pre-agreed severance terms between them.
In the case of BHC and BHEA, the negotiations have dragged on for 16 months because they are almost poles apart on significant aspects of the new contract. How much longer should these negotiations be allowed to drag on?
Take a Closer Look
The BHEA has been referring to published information that puts The Bahamas as one of the most costly tourist destinations in the world, and certainly in our region. Concerted effort needs to be expended to determine the significant factors behind our high costs with the view to trying to contain and hopefully reduce them where possible. For obvious reasons, the government needs to lead the way.
Without any awareness of the details behind such a study, I believe it is reasonable to conclude that the cost of labour is one of the significant factors behind our high destination cost. Could it be that labour costs for the broad cross section of workers in the hospitality industry have peaked and the sector cannot reasonably afford to pay more? If this is the case, then employees in that sector looking for higher wages should look for alternative employment offering higher wages rather than trying to squeeze it out of tourism. The reasons for this are obvious and it seems to me that the government needs to be proactive in ascertaining the true position so as to be able to speak forthrightly to BHEA and BHC.
Certainly the same applies to other sectors and industries, so I pray the government will take a closer look at underlying economic issues connected to contract negotiations so that they can do more than serve as a mediating referee in protracted discussions.
Apostle Cedric Moss serves as Senior Pastor at Kingdom Life World Outreach Centre. Commentary and feedback may be directed to: apostle@kingdom-life.org (apostle@kingdom-life.org).