While members of the Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) and the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) marched to Parliament on Wednesday members of the Bahamas Educators, Counsellors, and Allied Workers Union (BECAWU), based in Grand Bahama, did not participate in the industrial action.
BECAWU President, Sandra Major explained to ZNS News why the union stood down. She said, “the largest population of teachers on this island belong to BECAWU. We would not have asked them to do anything because we were no in that fight today. So they have a smaller number of persons here with Ms. Wilson on her team. So that was not an action that we took here and the family of islands. Our members, of course, being BECAWU would not have participated.”
The Prime Minister engaged with protesters on Bay Street promising to meet with union leaders to resolve their grievances. He also said, “the decision to give y’all some money came from me, from my heart because I understood that y’all need. It was nothing negotiated. I’m trying to help all of you. Y’all will be paid and the payment will be before Christmas.”
According to Major BECAWU also is awaiting a meeting with the Prime Minister. “We’re waiting to see what going to happen with ours and so we’re waiting to negotiate with the government. I have a meeting scheduled with the Prime Minister as well.”
Leaders of the BPSU and BUT promised to return to Parliament should their grievances not be resolved.
