i think it can generally be agreed that most people feel that the mandatory 15% can lead to less than acceptable service, particularly in places where the union has a presence (i.e. the hotels). really what the unions are saying is that tips are absolutely mandatory and therefore the name should be changed from "gratuity", which leaves the final decision up to the customer, to "service charge" which is mandatory and non-negotiable. gratuity is not a law in this country and no customer can be forced to pay it, especially for bad service. can you imagine, however, the chaos that would ensue should a customer refuse to pay? some of the worst service i've had anywhere in the world is in our own hotels. some of the best service i've ever had (mexico, cambodia, vietnam) has been in countries where there are no gratuities expected!

ditto....

completely unacceptable that the pilots would do this. there is no excuse that can garner the respect of either bahamians or visitors. we have seen the salaries that they are paid and in this economy, with all that we are facing as a nation and with what is likely to come in light of VAT, Cuba opening, worsening crime, they should be bloody thankful for their salaries and compensation. i say bahamasair should shut down, cut the losses to the bahamian people, and then see where these pilots end up working. i don't support them and moving forward will not fly bahamasair again. i am sick and tired of the union mentality in this country. it's time to abolish the union as many other countries have done.

best news i've heard in a long time. that forced 15% makes for lazier, unmotivated staff. that is of course a generalization because there are a lot of restaurants where the staff excel at their jobs - mahogany, matisse, social house, olives - but whenever i have eaten at the hotels, atlantis is a great example, my service has been sub par. for the first year of their opening it was fantastic and then a rapid decline. what these workers don't understand is that most people would probably tip 20% if given the choice. every person i know who has visited has said that the forced gratuity leaves a bad taste in their mouth. people will work harder if they know they need to earn their money. fingers crossed Baha Mar does break the unions - cause sure enough the unions are breaking this country.

i agree with you completely. name the location where most of the workers are gaining the obscene overtime. name the managers who are authorizing these payments. a public company is owned by the taxpayers and we have a right to know. tribune only makes it half way to good journalism. i support miller wholehearteadly and am wondering why he did not implement this shift scheduling when he talked about it in 2013. the union is destroying this country and power needs to be taken away from them.

ditto!

I wonder if these workers realize they have so little sympathy from the Bahamian public. Miller should have put these workers on shifts long ago like other countries do - that way we eliminate the issue of overtime. 3 shifts of 8 hours each. then people are employed, people get paid, and the power stays on. this overtime nonsense is ridiculous. they work so little from 9 - 5 so that they can guarantee overtime. if BEC is privatized no businessman is going to agree to the ridiculous wages these workers get for overtime work.

ditto!!!!

ditto!!!

ditto to Sickened!!! :)