‘Ascendant Obtained Order From Supreme Court’

October 19, 2018

This afternoon [Oct 19] Ascendant “obtained an order from the Supreme Court directing members of the Electricity Supply Trade Union [ESTU] to return to their full employment effective immediately,” the company said.

This follows after workers decided earlier today to withdraw labour, with ESTU President Donald Lottimore saying, “Our membership took a vote and as of right now, the work-to-rule has been halted and we are now withdrawing our labour, in order to make sure that the membership’s demands are met.” When asked were they effectively on a strike, Mr Lottimore replied, “Yes, we are.”

Video of the ESTU press briefing earlier today

A statement issued at around 6.00pm this evening said, “Ascendant Group Limited this afternoon obtained an order from the Supreme Court directing members of the Electricity Supply Trade Union [ESTU] to return to their full employment effective immediately.

“The order states that the ESTU ‘shall be restrained from contravening the Labour Relations Act 1975 by means of a strike or withdrawal of labour or any irregular industrial action short of strike which shall include picketing or any work to rule.’

“It is expected that ESTU members will comply with the order and return to work with immediate effect and normal operations will resume,” added the spokesperson from Ascendant, which is the parent company of BELCO.

You can follow live updates with all statements, photos and videos covering the matter here.

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Comments (61)

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  1. Stevie says:

    Where is Burt…Furbert..Tweed…no where.

    • Paul says:

      Where is Furbert…. why the hell is he abroad with the Premier ? and else for Tweed, he only comes out when it suits his agenda.

      • Hannah says:

        He should stay on the pulpit and stay out of our affairs

    • Black Soil says:

      Where is the People’s Campaign????

  2. Tom says:

    Shows ova lets go

  3. wahoo says:

    Burt could have been the hero but at least courts know what is right for my people.

  4. Really says:

    There helping Rolfe with his speaking!

    • Paul says:

      Rolfe, was an embarasment… to much titty milk is my guess,he could not read from the script in front of him…and of all people to demand an answer from the opposition leader is a joke.

  5. WSP says:

    Burt not worried about a thing he is sitting on a beach in Miami sipping champagne on my dime

    • Stormy daniels says:

      Or milk

      • Rockfiah # 2 says:

        Titty milk is less expensive than champagne,so I’m told. Perhaps Minister Caines will shed some light on the subject.

  6. Question says:

    So get back to work.

    • Onion Juice says:

      So get back to work, even if ya treated like S#!+.
      Slavery days are over.

      • 2 Bermudas says:

        They are far from over – $2.5bn in debt brah. Keep drinking de titty milk!! Ha ha ha!!

        • Onion Juice says:

          $2.5 Billion, aint nothing compared to 400 years of FREE LABOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
          And I love de milk and de container it comes in.

          • 2 Bermudas says:

            If you don’t like it you can take ya titty milk and leave. Get over it!! Ha ha ha!! No redos on history brah!!

          • Question says:

            Exaggerating AGAIN.
            You never did anything for free sunshne.

      • sandgrownan says:

        Who has been treated like sh*t? People get made redundant all the time, all walks of life, everywhere. It’s a sad fact.
        What has this to do with slavery? I’ll wait.

      • aceboy says:

        You are confused. The four people you are so worried about are executives. You do realize that right? Not workers. Executives. The slavery rhetoric doesn’t work at all in this case.

        • Toodle-oo says:

          * The slavery rhetoric doesn’t work at all in this case. *

          I didn’t realize that it worked in ANY case that he pulls up !

      • LocaliCartel says:

        Or… find another job?

  7. Lozzie48 says:

    I have a 94 year old Mother with dementia and we are told there will be power outages.

    How can they expect any support if they show so little concern for others that they would even think about allowing power outages.

    Also as supplying power IS AN ESSENTIAL service how can we held to ransom by the threat of a strike.

    We have the ridiculous situation here where we have an Essential service which is a Monopoly…We need to force the parties to sit and compromise.

    It seems incredible to me that the workers can down tools and demand the removal of the boss …that happens in politics but should not be possible with a private company even a monopoly

    • Paul says:

      I have said it so many times, the Govenor needs to protect Bermuda citizens.

    • Johnny says:

      The workers are not the ones to shut down the power. That would be the Ascendant group. You should be asking how Ascendant would allow the power to be cut off.

  8. Ben S says:

    Tweed is too busy pushing Bermuda towards socialism. Lunacy…

    • Wahoo says:

      Maybe we push him back to amerca why he come from before he ruin dis place.

    • cpm says:

      Tweed is a foreign troublemaker just like the lady who commented from a balcony and was sent packing as he should be
      He is not eligible for status but the plp will cave in and grant it

      • Onion Juice says:

        Dr.E.F.Gordon was a foreigner too and he is now one of Bermuda’s recognized Heroes for the struggle of the oppressed.
        Marcus Garvey was a foreigner to America and look at the contribution he made for the oppressed people there.
        The difference between Rev.Tweed and some foreingers that are in Bermuda is Rev. Tweed fights for the Rights of the oppressed while some foreingers contribute to the oppression.
        And the word troublemaker was ALWAYS used to identify Powerful Leaders during the Civil Rights Movement, so you just exposed yourself as a someone who supports the injust treatment of those in position who abuse their power against the descendents of the oppressed.
        The lady who commented from the balcony shouted from a white privileged perspective (who was a lil tipsy) who showed no compassion to the severity of the protest that was taking place. More like some of you are doing now.
        So get over it, the days were employers can treat workers like $#!T wihout any repercussions are OVER. Our Forefathers went through this dumb S#!T in the 60′s and beyond and like F!@#S we are gonna lay down and play dead.

        • Anbu says:

          Ya ya! U sure are a pretty big mouthpiece oj. I bet u a hefty sum that all u have done is type some keys on a computer. U have done absolutely nothing to ever help any situation uve commented on. Type type type as thats all u can do. U on here trying to sound like some huge social justice warrior and have done zilch to help any cause. Shush ya mouf bie. Wont lay down? The supreme court just made you lay down. Bet youve never even seen the front of a picket line.

        • Question says:

          They should get back to work.

  9. Um ahhhh says:

    The lack of concern Belco workers show for Bermuda is disgusting!!

  10. Jt says:

    Glad the courts are looking out for the people.

    • Onion Juice says:

      Typical cowards, act like a bully toward workers and when workers bully back you run to the court.
      Bunch of cowards.

      • 2 Bermudas says:

        But if de pepper spray comes out den you’ll start crying!! Ha ha ha!! De titty milk got ya head spinning?!?!

  11. puzzled says:

    1965..……………………………………………………………………..

  12. Sister Nancy says:

    Can you imagine if this happened on the OBA watch. Tweed and crew would be right there front and center edging the people on. Telling them do not let these foreigners rule the this island. Then you would have Simmons up there running his mouth. Mercy where is the pepper spray.

    • JohnBoy says:

      I think you mean egging the people on and not edging them. I know it sounds dumb but it’s correct. You’re welcome.

  13. Hair says:

    I got my candles burning!!!

  14. GTA says:

    Welcome to Bermuda, where we can’t guarantee public transport, regular trash collection or access to electricity. Sounds like the perfect place for fintech!

    • Onion Juice says:

      Welcome to Bermuda where the OBA purposely neglected funding for public transportation and trash trucks to force privatization (and used the money to host a sailboat race for Billionaires), and stratigically firing its Citizens to be replaced by foreign friends and family.
      Sounds like a perfect place for a disaster to happen.

      • Anbu says:

        Ah like the plp did the first 12 years they were in office? Still mad that a boat race trumped anything the plp have done in their entire history huh?

      • Toodle-oo says:

        Who exactly did the OBA fire and replace with ‘foreigners’ ?

        • question says:

          No-one. It’s all part of the PLP mythology it likes to trot out to demonize certain people and foreigners. It has no basis in fact, but that doesn’t seem to matter.

    • wahoo says:

      ….and a chicken farm, don’t forget we get chickens.

  15. Imjustsaying says:

    So the many will have to suffer for the selfish few. We as paying customers don’t have anything to do with it.

  16. ConcernedBermudian says:

    It is an utter disgrace that they went on full strike. I support unions but I do NOT support this action. Get back to work. Durfy you are doing a great job. Keep it up.

  17. Tellitthewayiseeit says:

    I find it interesting that when expats comment about Bermudians standing up for their rights, they talk about leaving, saying things like “we are becoming a third world country”, they malign hard working people who just want to be heard and treated fairly…yet in their home countries they have “Make America Great Again”, “Brexit” and “Canada for Canadians” all of which are denigrating foreigners and most are ok with that. Help me to understand. Really. Am I missing something here?

  18. sandgrownan says:

    LOL, Burt blew it.

  19. Sam says:

    The writing is on the wall. The Canadians have the ownership of the airport for 30yrs. Stay tuned for the next Canadian take over

    BAS- AECON
    BELCO- FORTIS INC

    Sean Durfy

    The dominio effect continues. Don’t be bitter from the west jet layoff. Share price went down but you were still benefiting lol

  20. The affected workers should take out a court order on Ascendant. Power for power.
    As soon as Bermudians stand up and demand respect, foreigners are the first to react negatively to OUR concerns. We will not be disrespected.
    Too many foreign workers are out for the money and disrespect of the Bermudian worker.Can a Bermudian go to Canada and behave similarly?
    Hardly. The Bermudian would face deportation.
    THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT must treat these people from other countries with the same energy as if it were a Bermudian in the foreigner’s country….treated suspiciously…same for same!! With NO SENTIMENT and NO apology for the action taken!!

    • Question says:

      I am a real Be4mudian and I think you’re just a plain old-fashioned racist.

    • Wahoo says:

      There is your problem, respect must be earned not demanded. Also you are an idiot with a warped view it cannot be fixed.

    • Hmmm says:

      @STRAIGHTFORWARD I don’t have the current statistics, but not so many years ago there were actually close to twice as many Bermudians working in other countries (many in executive positions) as there were expats in Bermuda. I seriously doubt that Bermudians working in other countries are treated “suspiciously”.. but for sure not the way some Bermudians treat our expats..

      I cant see the union taking anyone to court first of all because they can’t afford it, and secondly because they don’t have a valid reason too.

    • Jt says:

      I would have no problem at all with the workers taking out a court order on Ascendant. They should absolutely do that if Ascendant is in breach of the law.
      The thing is, I don’t believe Ascendant has broken any laws. Otherwise something would have been filed by the Union by now.

    • WillSee says:

      People lost jobs because their employment became obsolete!!!!
      They were are not needed.
      Who’s next!

  21. PATRICK says:

    So you want select foreigners to come and settle here?
    If I had a principal about no foreigners it would apply to all