By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) president has renewed calls for the Government to force employers to negotiate new industrial agreements “within a reasonable period of time”, following a strike vote by Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) middle managers.

Obie Ferguson alleged that the two-year failure by the Bahamian franchisee, Restaurants (Bahamas), to conclude a new agreement with members of the Bahamas Hotel Managerial Union (BHMA), a TUC affliate, had prompted the vote.

Arguing that his members had been waiting “well over two years”, Mr Ferguson told Tribune Business: “They took a strike vote last week.

“They voted for a strike on the basis that it has been well over two years that they have been trying to get KFC management to sit down and negotiate a new industrial agreement.

“It is open to them at any time, once I advise them to legally withdraw their labour. They have not, nor the Ministry of Labour, seems able to get them [KFC] to come to the Labour Board to begin the process of negotiation.”

    Mr Ferguson added: “We filed a trade dispute and had several dates set for conciliation but, at the end of the day, something always happened and the union was unable to sit down with the employer.

“When there is a failure to negotiate a new industrial agreement, then obviously one of the options available to the union is to strike but, before you strike, ensure that all workers are legally protected if and when there is a strike.”

Ash Henderson, Restaurants (Bahamas) marketing director, confirmed to Tribune Business that the company was aware of the strike vote, but it had no comment on the matter at this time.

Mr Ferguson, meanwhile, urged the Government to do everything necessary to ensure industrial disputes were resolved  fairly.

“We call on the Government to do what is necessary over general disputes, which involve the creation of new terms and conditions,” he said.

“The Government should ensure that the process is done fairly, and the Government ought to act as an impetus to cause the employer to begin the negotiations within a reasonable period of time.”