By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union signed a five-year industrial agreement with Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant on Friday.

Over 50 Graycliff employees are expected to benefit, with salary increases and other benefits throughout the period.

“In this new agreement, there are improvements in the vacation, there are improvements in Christmas bonus, there are improvements in the ham and turkey and of course, there's improvement in the wage and emoluments,” said Darrin Woods, BHCAWU President.

“And there's also a lump sum payment that they will get, as a matter of fact, once the document is signed, they have decided just to make those payments in the very near future.”

The agreement provides a 20 per cent wage increase over the five years, with the first increase expected in the coming weeks.

Mr Woods expressed his satisfaction with the new agreement, adding that the deal puts Graycliff employees in a “more stable position”.

“The members were the ones who told us exactly what it is they want to see,” he said yesterday.

“And like anything else, you don't always get what you requested, but I believe we went very well on our way in terms of getting most of the things that we would have asked for and we were able to preserve a lot of the prior benefits that were in there.

“And again, this one is also historic and significant because once this document is signed and registered, it then forms part of the employee's individual contract of employment.

"So, which means the benefits will continue and that is why from an organisational standpoint we are pushing membership-driven activities and membership-driven benefits because of the long-term rewards they would reap at the end of the day.”

Mr Woods said the union is locked in industrial agreement talks with other entities including Bahamas Hotel and Restaurant Employers Association, Harbourside and Club Med Columbus Isles Resort.