Minister of Labour and the Public Service, the Hon. Pia Glover-Rolle appeared on The Rundown talk show on Monday where she addressed the industrial action taken by the Bahamas Trade Union Congress (TUC) led by Obie Ferguson.

Glover-Rolle told talk show host Clint Watson the strike was illegal.  She said, “the Industrial Relations Act speak to, in Section 74, it speaks to the process.  When due process is eliminated in some way then it becomes an illegal action.  How did this become an illegal action? If you are prompting a sick call out vying voice note then ultra vires the law then you are  now causing persons to engage in illegal action.  So its not an illegal strike but the means but which you attempted to engage your members to sit out then affected the process.”

The Minister revealed that Prime Minister, the Hon. Philip Davis and Ferguson have met on a number of occasions.  “In fact, the Prime Minister has met with him prior to seeing me because our quarterly union meetings that was held the week of December 16th, Mr. Ferguson did not attend.  He sent his Secretary General or his First Vice I think, Freddie Munnings.  So he’s seen the Prime Minister even before he’s seen me lately.  So dialogue is ongoing.”

According to Glover-Rolle the last meeting with union leaders held on December 16th ended on a positive note.  “We left the meeting with the final word that all was well.  We know we have matters to resolve.  We have set timelines.  We know that there are matters to resolve and this is the action plan but Minister we are grateful.  We’re grateful for this audience and the resolve that has been had so far and the work that is being done.”

Members of the TUC called in to work on Monday and Tuesday causing entities such as the Public Hospitals Authority to rely on contingency plans.