By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Customs Immigration and Allied Workers Union (BCIAWU) has accused the Davis administration of breaching its industrial agreement by cutting vacation leave for some public officers, a claim Labour Minister Pia Glover-Rolle rejected yesterday.

BCIAWU president Deron Brooks said the Ministry of Public Service recently advised that staff on a specified salary scale — previously entitled to five weeks’ vacation under general orders — would lose one week of leave each year.

He said union-presented documents show salary increases in July 2022, 2023 and 2024 were followed by adjustments to vacation and casual leave without consultation. Calling for the changes to be revoked and for talks to begin, Mr Brooks said: “The union firmly believes that any changes affecting employees rights, working conditions or benefits must be discussed and agreed upon through the proper and established channel.”

Mrs Glover-Rolle said there was no breach, insisting the circular at issue reflects negotiated changes to salaries and benefits rather than unilateral action. She added that no officer lost accumulated leave before the latest amendment and any erroneous deductions would be repaid. “If you were receiving five weeks vacation paid prior to this circular and prior to this amendment, that will not be recovered from you,” she said. “It should not be recovered from you and if it was, it will be reimbursed.

“But the vacation leave is based on salary scale so if you fall in a scale and your vacation leave is four weeks, three weeks, that is where your vacation entitlement should fall.”

Mr Brooks said the union had raised concerns repeatedly but received no reply since last October. Mrs Glover-Rolle countered that her permanent secretary received a letter from the union last week, noting ongoing repairs at the Ministry of Public Service building had delayed delivery. She said officials intend to meet the union and suggested there may be a misunderstanding of the circular’s interpretation.

Questioning the rationale for the change, Mr Brooks said it would not affect key government revenue streams such as customs duties, work permits and tourism. “These benefits that we would have been enjoying do not affect any of those three things. So why do it?” he said. “Make it make sense.”

He said the union has engaged legal advisers and is coordinating with affiliated unions that say they are similarly affected. The dispute is the latest tussle between the BCIAWU and the government, following earlier criticism over the rehiring of retired public servants ahead of promotion opportunities for existing staff.