BBC News: Workers Down Tools At Resort

April 4, 2016

[Written by Tari Trott & Trevor Lindsay, Bermuda Broadcasting Co.]

Seventeen unionised workers have downed tools at Rosewood Tucker’s Point resort over what they describe as deteriorating working conditions.

Workers told us that management are aware of their concerns, which include problems with rodents and mould at their employee building.

Meetings were due to take place this afternoon between representatives of the Bermuda Industrial Union [BIU] and the resort’s management.

Chief shop steward Luann Brown said of the main employee building, which is nearly 100 years old: “There is a lot of mould throughout the whole structure – it’s not up to par and it’s not workable. It’s a health hazard as well as a fire hazard.”

Ms Brown said the site has been inspected by health officials, most recently on January 20. She added: “We’ve been to management. We’ve even had meetings with management — about three meetings. It’s supposed to be consistent but it hasn’t been. We haven’t had any feedback since.”

Her concerns were echoed by Llewellyn Smith, the most senior unionised employee at the resort. He told us: “[We have] rusted out beams and wood falling from the ceilings… rain coming in through the windows in the mechanic shop.” He also says staff vehicles are “in very poor condition” and “need replacing”.

We reached out to Tucker’s Point but were unable to reach a spokesperson for comment. We will update this story if we get further information.

Update 4.57pm: Rosewood Tucker’s Point said, “The management team at Rosewood Tucker’s Point met with the employees at noon today and all staff subsequently returned to work following the conclusion of this meeting.

“We are aware of the issues at the maintenance building known as The Stables and indeed a review of required works had already been commissioned and contractors to complete the work contacted.

“The safety and security of our employees is always our utmost priority. We are working diligently with the staff to have this issue resolved and begin repair work as soon as possible.”

Note: Bernews is temporarily helping Bermuda Broadcasting Company by sharing its stories online. The station’s TV equipment is undergoing repair after being hit by lightning.

Read More About

Category: All, Business, News

Comments (52)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Onion Juice says:

    That’s there is a certain sagment that wants to get rid of de Union, they want to treat Bermudians like de cheap labour mordern day slaves.

    • ron,b says:

      you are absolutely correct,

      • Nanny Pat says:

        Oh please.

        On another note, help me out here: as the maintenance department, isn’t it part of their job to “maintain” the facility? You know, maintain the beams, deal with rodent issues, spray the mould, fix the leaking windows…?? I don’t understand.

    • hmmm says:

      Nobody should be working with rotting beams, mould and rats.

      Are the maintenance staff Unionized?

      • Jeff says:

        Luanne is great and is an asset to the hotel especially when someone very ugly higher up creates so many problems.

    • Luis Suarez says:

      They may not like the work conditions, but they will like having no job even less. The resort is in financial hell, I’m not sure this is the answer.

  2. mj says:

    wasn’t Rosewood given a 4star award in february,? pride b4 a fall?

  3. Terry says:

    Oh stop beachin and moaning.
    Haven’t seen anything yet.
    Getting Moody won’t help.

    Sit back and enjoy the march to the ‘Lets have another Session” House.

    Can’t wait for ‘sign lady to show up.

    Shalom.

    • Fantasea says:

      Your funny. You haven’t experienced Mould in how many years since you decided to leave for greener pastures. Lol

      • Terry says:

        B@lls.
        And you know it.
        |You left too.
        Pollen.

  4. LiarLiar says:

    This is what happens when a business falls into receivership. Optimum maintenance is casted aside by the temporary owner due to its costs and its number one priority (i.e. to find a buyer).

    Hope they find a buyer asap to stop the rot.

  5. Ed Case says:

    More entitled Bermudians thinking they are ‘spashul’ and sticking it to the …..

    • Onion Juice says:

      Whats an entitled Bermudian, is it the same as an entitled American, Canadian, or Brit?
      Mmmmmmmm

    • mixitup says:

      Is being entitled to a workplace free of physical hazards too much to ask for? Or are you ok with the senior management and shareholders getting paid while the workers deal with rodents, mold and holes in the ceiling?

      • Sally says:

        Shareholders getting paid?? You have to be joking…TPC is in receivership. Do you have any idea what that means? They are also loosing millions every year. All of the employees are lucky they have a job.

        • mixitup says:

          Sit down Sally…That still is no excuse for dismal/hazardous working conditions… If they are going to close, then close, but if you are remaining open, then you follow the law.

        • Your Crazy says:

          yea the poor Business Men losing millions, thats whats the real tragedy is huh?…Clearly you have it backwards…its the organization who are lucky they have people invested enough to stick around and work under such deplorable conditions.

      • Gabriel says:

        No – not too much to ask for. Why isn’t quitting and moving on not an option (kind of like what everyone else does)?

        • sage says:

          Yeah, so TP can easily replace them with cheap imported labour who will work under any conditions, then parrot the old “bermudians don’t want to work” . I say put the hotel management team in the old stables.

    • Its me again says:

      So workers dont have the right to a safe environment.

    • The Original Truth™ says:

      Are you saying the citizens of the country you come from don’t feel they are entitled to a safe working environment? I’m sure they do so why not go back to your country so you don’t have to spend your time moaning about us. Is it that you are not qualified enough to do what you do here in your country? If that the case Ed I suggest you should just shut it and thank your lucky stars that your employer has no idea how to select a fitting employee.

      • Charlie says:

        Oh boy! *grabs the popcorn

        Here we go. It’s the ‘Get back tuh yah ohhen country’ show!

        Careful how far your throw that stone, mate. You’re in a greenhouse without many panes left.

        • The Original Truth™ says:

          I’m not aiming at all the panes just the clouded ones like Med Case who are prejudice of all Bermudians. In their deranged psyche they feel they are more needed than other Bermudians when in reality they just got lucky and found a job in a country where the immigration department is clueless. They are the type that if in a managerial position would make up every unjustifiable excuse there is not to hire a Bermudian. These panes can and should be replaced with ones that work with the whole already standing structure not against it. If all the panes were clouded like Med Case in the greenhouse nothing would grow.

          • Charlie says:

            Fair point – but your comment suggesting they go back to their own country does nothing for the perception of xenophobia on the island.

      • I'm just sayin... says:

        “Is it that you are not qualified enough to do what you do here in your country?”

        I don’t think truer words have ever been posted!

  6. Billy de Kidd says:

    Another Riddell’s Bay

    Industrial action followed shortly with the business closure.
    It’s all good to make demands when the pot floweth over but when the business and hence your job is hanging by a thread….. ahhh

    • ron,b says:

      so you mean shut up,and don’t ask for proper treatment or clean and decent facilities, or lose your job?

      • Terry says:

        Well why wait until now to bitch and moan.
        You just don’t get it fool; do yah.

        • The Original Truth™ says:

          I think it’s time for some stronger spectacles Terry. Them peepers must not be as good as they used to. You missed the part in the article where they had prior meetings without feedback from them.

    • Onion Juice says:

      That does’nt have nothing to do with a sanitary and safe building for the ones who are the de back bone.

      • cathy says:

        they do have cliques of expats that are purposely coming on bernews to go against anything to do with a certain group of locals,

  7. ron,b says:

    the enemy has reached our shores and they have an agenda

    • Charlie says:

      Yeah yeah… non-critical thinkers always need a bogeyman.

      On you go.

  8. Iggrunce says:

    …But are they talking about the deplorable living conditions at their dorms as well because those are just as/if not worse than bad.

  9. New Bermudian says:

    So here are some questions: did the workers file a complaint with Occupational Safety and Health? If not, they really don’t have the right to wildcat. If they did and nothing is being done, then they have a point. Had they really brought it to management’s attention in a formal sense, or just through hallway conversations? What’s the background here- before we all leap to conclusions.

  10. M.C. Beauchamp says:

    It is odd that Tucker’s Point is for sale and yet there are developers willing to build in St. Georges and at Morgan’s Point. The Receiver cannot apparently maintain Tucker’s Point. It always costs more to build than to buy. Either the Receiver’s price for Tucker’s Point makes no sense or these new developments think they know something more than everyone else.

    • Terry says:

      And you point?

    • Navin Pooty Tang Johnson says:

      St George hotel will not happen…same with Casinos by the time either would half the world will have visits Cuba….planning, endless committee meetings and typical Bermudian delays..all will be too late…tourism is dead here

  11. Kevin says:

    I wonder how many of look in the mirror after the full facts come out and what you posted proved they picked the wrong person to be the village idiot

    so many are so fast like its a race thinking your post is best you personally can offer the population, so the facts will emerge then you can make an intelligent observation and then you can post your opinion.

  12. Coffee says:

    All the while , the managerial staff operate in luxurious surroundings , no expenses spared , with daily cleaning by the agrieved .

    • Sally says:

      Would that cleaning fall into the ‘aggrieved’s’ job discription?

    • Legalgal says:

      If you read real SLOWLY you will get his very valid point.

  13. MB says:

    Unhappy staff = unhappy guests – see below review.
    But more NB – are we in the tourism business or not??
    If we are, we need to be OPEN in ‘winter’ not half open and half a$$ed!
    This review summarises exactly what I always thought of TP for all that money it costs and cost to build- the place is cold and uninviting as a resort…there is no lobby, and no local flavour!

    https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g562684-d1235597-Reviews-Rosewood_Tucker_s_Point-Hamilton_Parish_Bermuda.html#review_361283048

    “Too many negatives”

  14. Sage says:

    Quick – send the fake Hunger Striker to Tuckers Town!,

    • Wayne Wonders says:

      Sage, Terry and the rest of you idiots posting here…..it is a FUNDAMENTAL right for the employer to provide a safe, clean and functioning work environment for their staff and it is also mandated by the Occupational Health & Safety Act.

      I bet my last dollar that if you all were renting an apartment under those dame conditions you would all be the first to report your landlords or take further action….so just shut up, get the facts and take your idiotic and obviously biased comments elsewhere.

      What has “the fake hunger striker” got to do with this issue. You and the rest have absolutely NO respect for the Bermudian employee or person…period

    • sage says:

      All wannabe comedians, your pathetic hunger strike jokes are officially played out.

  15. ron,b says:

    three people have come to me at work asking me to comment negatively on locals issues on bernews ,its crazy,

    • Pooh Bear says:

      WOW!!! THAT’S LIKE TONS!!
      More bogeymen then?

  16. ron,b says:

    im not local but i wont be a part of that