By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT – Management at the Memories Resort denied there was a strike or any attempts by workers to strike as reported in a local newspaper, according to David Johnson, CEO of the Hotel Corporation of the Bahamas.

Mr Johnson, former director general of tourism, who had been intimately involved in getting the new hotel opened in Grand Bahama, said he spoke with general manager Gabriel Varela about the published reports in the Freeport News.

“I had a chance to talk with the GM and there seemed to be no indication that there was in fact any strike or perhaps any attempts to strike,” he told The Tribune on Thursday.

He said management informed him that they are in the process of meeting with the staff to hear their concerns and to clear up any misunderstandings.

Memories opened in March. The government and tourism officials had expressed great confidence in the Sunwing Group and its ability to revive tourism in Grand Bahama.

Since its opening, Mr Johnson said the island has experienced a 32-33 per cent increase in stopover arrivals.

“As partners with the company in the getting hotel opened and boosting tourism back in the island, you can image we would be concerned, but we talked to the operators and I don’t think there is any cause for the kind of concern that the lead story (in the Freeport News) would have suggested this morning,” he said.

“I think there is a lot of misinformation and they are dealing with them by first meeting with the staff and clarifying all the matters.”

It was reported that staff in the Food and Beverage Department left their posts for a planned protest over low pay and poor working conditions, among other things.

Last Friday, at the annual Labour Day march and rally, a union leader claimed that the salaries of workers at Memories are below industry standards. It was also claimed that the workers are not being paid their gratuities.

Mr Johnson did not want to comment on the specifics, but said that management is speaking with the staff and will be addressing their concerns.

“I am not overly concerned and (I am) confident they are dealing with the matters with their staff directly,” he said.

When asked how many persons are employed at the hotel, Mr Johnson said he believes that the number should be around 600 workers.

Memories is off to a great start in Grand Bahama, he said.

“The numbers will show that Grand Bahama has already seen a 32-33 per cent increase in stopover arrivals.

“We know that the flights into Grand Bahama this winter from six Canadian cities were a direct result of Memories and the Sunwing Group.

“We are seeing early results, but there is much more ahead to be done and much more work for us do on the product in Grand Bahama.

“We are making some progress and… we should be encouraged by what we see. (The island) is growing faster than most destinations so far this winter, but it is the beginning and it’s the first step and there are more things to come.”

Michelle Dorsett, president of the Commonwealth Union of Hotel Services and Allied Workers, said they requested a meeting with management two weeks ago concerning representation for the workers at Memories.

“It saddened me that the workers are without representation and are not being advised properly as to their rights.

“We have a recognition agreement with the Grand Lucayan that also covers the Memories property and we have communicated this to the general manager two weeks ago requesting a meeting to address the issue of representation.”

Ms Dorsett said that salary is the main issue. She claims that food and beverage staff work six days a week and earn $300; cooks are working five days and earning $210; maids are earning $3.25 per room; and security officers are double as lifeguards.

She said the situation has reached the boiling point and workers need representation.