By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemdia.net

AS Sandals Royal Bahamian workers gear up to strike, the resort claims that only a quarter of staff voted for the move.

Despite the assertion by Trade Union Congress president Obie Ferguson that 90 per cent of workers who took part in last week’s strike vote supported industrial action, Stephen Hector, Sandals public relations officer, said the number was actually much lower.

Sandals employees are expected to go on strike today if union executives receive their strike certificate on time.

The strike would come as the union and the resort continue to engage in a bitter feud over several issues, including the resort’s alleged decision to fire three maids when they were pregnant, and workers who joined the union.

“Following the recent strike vote undertaken by the Bahamas Hotel and Maintenance Allied Workers Union (BHMAWU) in which 187 Sandals Royal Bahamian team members voted for industrial action,” said Mr Hector, “we are astonished by the union’s ongoing efforts to destabilise the resort’s 720-strong workforce and undermine our efforts to drive tourism in the Bahamas.”

“As in all the islands in which we operate, we strive for the best for our team members and we are and always have been more than happy for them to engage in fair and legal union activities. On Thursday, every single union member was free to leave the resort, without repercussions of any kind, and visit the polling station which was conveniently located just over a mile away in the shuttle buses provided.”

Mr Hector said the union has created a false image “of a disgruntled and downtrodden workforce” while claiming victory. 

“We would like to reiterate,” he said, “that those 187 voting to strike represent just 25 per cent of the workforce with the vast majority happy to remain at a workplace they themselves have proudly pushed to the pinnacle of the global tourism industry.”

He continued: “At Sandals, we do not shy away from our responsibilities and we recognise that the 187 team members who felt compelled to vote for a strike is 187 too many. We will work hard to ensure that we offer those team members along with the workforce as a whole a comfortable and inspiring place to come to work each day.

“This past year has seen us invest US$4.5m in enhancement programmes that have completely changed the face of the resort which we believe makes it the ‘newest resort in the Bahamas.’ The former Manor Building underwent a complete transformation both inside and out reopening with a spectacular new contemporary feel and we totally renovated the resort’s Windsor Building. Despite the building being relatively new, each and every one of the building’s luxurious Junior Suites received complete refurbishment. One of the most spectacular enhancements has been the Crystal Lagoon Butler Suites set to be introduced next month. This investment in our product has allowed us to graduate 10 individuals from within the resort to butler positions. We’ve further invested in our people with two additional Bahamians set to graduate from the Sandals Corporate University Management Trainee Programme into senior positions in Jamaica.”

Mr Hector said the resort “has had a fantastic response to its enhancement programme from guests, which has reflected in their occupancy forecasts. “

However, he said, “facts are facts and we take great exception to the repeated claims made by the union and its spokespersons referring to three pregnant team members who were among a group made redundant during the global economic crisis in 2008. The fact is, and what the union fails to state, is that rather than being targeted by the resort, no one at the resort was aware that they were indeed pregnant. As soon as the resort was made aware, we immediately offered to reinstate them to their original positions. One of whom declined the offer, two returned to work soon after and remain employed at the resort to this day. In fact, one of whom was recently recognised for exceptional service.”

“We believe,” he said, “that every corporation operating in the Bahamas, Bahamian or otherwise, should not only abide fully by the laws of the land, but that they should play a part in lifting the country and its people. At Sandals Royal Bahamian, through continuous investment in our people, resorts and the marketing that drives people to these shores we do just that. We humbly invite the people of the Bahamas, to look at the facts and decide for themselves.”