By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union has filed an application for a strike vote against the Bahamas Telecommunications Company, union president Bernard Evans said yesterday.

Mr Evans told The Tribune that the union held a general meeting with its members on Wednesday and an application for a strike vote was filed at the Ministry of Labour.

This comes as some workers in New Providence and Grand Bahama staged reported sick outs in protest of the company’s plans to offer voluntary separation packaged to at least 150 workers.

BTC’s Mall at Marathon flagship store was forced to close on Thursday after workers reportedly did not show up for work. The Tribune also understands workers staged a mass sick out in Grand Bahama yesterday, forcing the closure of BTC’s main office downtown. Staff at the East Sunrise Highway and Settler’s Way offices also did not report to work.

BTC’s public relations officer, Indira Collie, confirmed that the Mall at Marathon store was closed but would not say why or when the store would reopen.

According to BTC, several other stories closed on Thursday, including locations in Eleuthera, Cat Island, Exuma and Andros.

Rumours began to spread on social media yesterday that BTC employees refused to go to work after they were informed that the company is attempting to cut between 150 to 250 jobs.

On Tuesday, Mr Evans said the impending staff cuts are “shocking” and “insulting.” He said BTC employees are “distraught” over the rushed, “sneaky” way the company is handling the move.

When contacted for comment yesterday Mr Evans denied that union members were striking, however he said he also heard that some persons were not reporting to work.

“We did not authorise a strike but the members are angry. We did, however, apply for a strike vote and we are looking to get a date within the next two weeks,” he said.

“The mall location was closed today, they did not have a closed sign up but no one was there and I couldn’t get in when I passed there. The members are upset, we had a meeting with them and they did not like the way the situation was being handled. We told our members the facts as it was presented to us in regard to the packages that are being offered and they thought it was totally disrespectful. They expressed their concerns, they had lunch and then they left. I don’t know what is happening.”

Mr Evans said he was told that BTC intends to offer voluntary separation packages to 150 to 250 workers to leave the company before the end of March, in preparation for the liberalisation of the mobile sector.

Mr Evans said the move took him by surprise, especially as the company is expanding into television services which, in his opinion, would require more staff.

He said BTC is offering the separation packages to all staff with the hope of reducing the number of workers by March 31.

Labour Minister Shane Gibson told The Tribune that BTC wanted to lay off almost 200 persons late last year, but the government saved those jobs. However, he said there is nothing the Christie administration can do now to prevent the impending loss of workers from the company in March.