By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Labour Director John Pinder said he only left union leadership for a government job to collect a pension and now wants to return as the Bahamas Public Services Union president.

Mr Pinder was a long-time leader of BPSU before he entered politics and eventually became Director of Labour in 2018.

“I’ve never lost an election yet as union president,” he said yesterday while announcing his campaign for BPSU president. “I’ve won five consecutive elections. I only left the union to go back to the government to get a pension. 

“That’s the only reason why I left and when I left people was crying ‘why you leave us’ but I’m able and available now and I’ve learned more and I’m more experienced. I got a much better vision and much better way of doing business now as a result of my exposure sitting as director of labour and representing the government around the world.”

Mr Pinder was a Free National Movement candidate for the Fox Hill constituency in the 2021 general election, losing his bid to Fred Mitchell.

Yesterday, he criticised current BPSU President Kimsley Ferguson, claiming he has lost the confidence of 75 per cent of his members.

 It is unclear when the BPSU election will be held this year.

 Mr Pinder said people had asked him to return.

 “I didn’t really think that I would go back there even though I was concerned. I keep watching, keep trying to give them advice - they don’t take advice,” he said. 

 “They don’t take advice and so I would give members advice all the time. They say man, we come to you for advice all the time you might as well come back.”

 Asked whether his political ambitions compromise his ability to be a union leader, he said: “The trade union movement has always been a part of the political arena in this country so that only can strengthen my position. However, when you are in the union and running, you are apolitical.”

 “You don’t play politics when you’re in the union because you have members from all sides. You have PLP members, you have FNM members, you have DNA members, you have coalition members. You don’t play politics —you are apolitical. So I will have to step away from anything related to politics as long as I serve as president of the union.”

 Asked if he thinks he could beat Mr Ferguson in an election, he said: “Any incumbent has a presence ... It’s just, is your presence strong enough to retain your position? I believe I’ve left a good enough record. I’m tested and proven.”