By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union have signed a four-year industrial agreement with Club Med Columbus Isle to help over 180 union members.

Union members are expected to benefit from a nine per cent salary increase, a five-day work week, a four-week Christmas bonus, pension and health benefits.

Union president Darrin Woods said the agreement brings stability and economically empowers members. 

The all-inclusive resort, sprawled along Bonefish Bay Beach in San Salvador, is responsible for most of the island’s employment.

Club Med terminated 190 staff, including 172 union members, in early January 2021 due to COVID-19.

Mr Woods’ union once again became the bargaining agent for Club Med employees in 2023 after the resort reopened its doors in 2022. The previous industrial agreement expired in 2019.

Mr Woods called for more local flights to San Salvador.

Angeles Martinz, Club Med’s regional human resources director for North America, said while officials are not 100 per cent satisfied with the sanitary conditions and healthcare capacity on the island, the government has been supportive.

Tanique Johnson, a laundry employee at Club Med for over 18 years, applauded the agreement. 

“There are a lot of different changes that happened in Club Med since coming back and we are indeed grateful to the Club Med executive for finally agreeing to this agreement,” she said. “It’s such a fantastic agreement that was signed here today.”

The hotel union also signed an industrial agreement with Orange Hill to benefit ten people.

Mr Woods said the union is also working to sign a new industrial agreement with Poop Deck in the coming weeks.