By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

AIRPORT operations on several Family Islands were severely affected today after more than a dozen airport employees refused to show up to work in protest of unresolved workplace grievances.

In an interview with The Tribune, Director of Aviation Algernon Cargill said airports on Abaco, Bimini, Cat Island and South Andros were closed as a result of Monday’s industrial action, which he called “illegal” and “disappointing.”

However, The Tribune was told that the Leanord M Thompson International Airport in Abaco has now resumed operations after employees from New Providence were sent to the island Monday morning.

“The Airport Authority is fully aware that the Bahamas Public Service Union has coordinated an illegal withdrawal of labour and I say illegal because as far as I’m aware, there’s been no trade dispute filed and secondly, the Airport Authority has always acted in good faith with the Bahamas Public Service Union,” Mr Cargill told The Tribune.

Mr Cargill estimated that less than 20 staff members withdrew their labour on Monday.

The Tribune also understands that BPSU workers at Princess Margaret Hospital also called in sick on Monday.

The action comes after BPSU President Kimsley Ferguson, who represents some workers at the hospital as well as airport staff, warned last week that there could be major disruption in hospital and airport services if workers’ longstanding concerns are not immediately resolved.

The union is calling for hazard pay, salary increases and uniform allowances among other things.

See Tuesday’s Tribune for more on this story.