By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

TWENTY workers at the Freeport Container Port were laid off and voluntary separation packages were offered as a part of a downsizing exercise at the company.

The news comes at a bad time, just a week and a half before Christmas and after more than 100 workers were laid off from other businesses on the island. Among those laid off were Jennifer Lubin and Monique Sears, who were employed as crane checkers.

The women were employed as temporary workers – since 2004 and 2007. They feel that they were let go because of their support for unionisation at the container port.

“Most of us that were let go were affiliated with the ILA, which was a union formed outside of the company. We were trying to get some change there and I feel that’s the main reason we were laid off,” Mrs Lubin told The Tribune.

The ILA is the International Longshoreman Association.

“You can’t say you making my job redundant and hire people in the same position. If my job is being made redundant it means you don’t require that position anymore,” she said.

Mrs Lubin indicated that there are so many loopholes in the labour laws that allow employers and companies to simply change the title of the position, even though the duties performed by the redundant worker remain the same in the new post.

“Their tactic is to get rid of all permanent employees so they can bring in contract workers who are not entitled to benefits such as insurance, vacation pay, sick leave, and other benefits,” she said.

The port employs hundreds of Bahamians – permanent, temporary, and casual workers. The facility, which sustained significant hurricane damage, commenced its downsizing exercise last Friday.

Mrs Lubin had been initially employed at the port in 2007. She resigned and returned in 2012.

“It is just deplorable that a company that you have been working for so many years has no sort of obligations to you. I have been back at there for four years as a temporary worker, and there are people who have been there 11 years who are still temporary workers,” she said.

She also complained that working conditions are unacceptable for crane checkers who are sometimes exposed to hazardous chemicals in containers.

“I have suffered chemical exposure twice… and I have no medical insurance to assist me or my family,” she said. “And they never told us the contents in those containers.”

Even though the port is reducing staff, Mrs Lubin noted that hundreds of contract/casual workers, with no insurance coverage, are being employed there.

“These workers have no type of insurance but they are in the machines, and they get more working time than I would as a temporary employee,” she claimed.

Ms Sears was employed as temporary port worker since 2004.

“I feel hurt, but I expected it because … I was among those trying to form a union there and that is something they don’t want at the container port.

“They have an in-house union there, but when I was let go nobody from the in-house union was there representing me inside the meeting.”

Union activist Lionel Morley – who had been trying to represent workers at the container port for the past year - criticised in-house union representatives for their lack of communication and consultation with the affected workers.

“Those workers had not heard from their in-house union representatives, who have never had any formal meetings with them about the industrial agreement, or about any pending layoffs; there has been no communication and consultation with the affected employees,” he said.

Mr Morley - who has received support from the ILA, one of the largest unions of maritime workers in North America – lost his bid to represent workers because the minister of labour had already recognised the in-house union that was formed at the container port.

He claims that the in-house union is under the manipulation and control of management and does not act in the best interests of workers.

“We were trying to form a legitimate union at the container port for some time, but our registration was upheld so that the container port could form this in-house union,” he said. “The law states that once a union has been recognised another union has to wait two years.”

Mr Morley claimed that the container port does not want an outside union in place and has now moved to terminate many of the workers who had supported ILA.

“We believe management took the position to downsize and use the hurricane as an excuse to fire about 95 per cent of the workers associated with ILA so they can root out all those who are desirous of an outside union,” he claimed.

Mr Morley said the container port has been through hurricanes before and has survived without layoffs.

“The container port’s history is well documented of their opposition to real, legitimate unions being formed at the container port to represent workers,” he said.