Cabinet Office Meets With BPSU & BIU
[Updated] The Cabinet Office and representatives from both the Bermuda Public Services Union [BPSU] and the Bermuda Industrial Union [BIU] met on the morning of 25 April in the Cabinet Office, and the Premier said “The Union is fully aware that Government cannot include a guarantee of no redundancies in an agreement.”
Premier Cox extended the invitation that was willingly accepted by the Union Presidents. In responding to the decision of the BPSU to march, the Premier said, “The challenges we face are collective challenges that impact all of us and must be borne by all of us.
“In extending an invitation to meet with the Unions, it was with the express purpose of designing a way forward. The Union stated their intent to march and I invited them to do so on Monday before I travelled on Tuesday.
“However, I contend that the way forward is not punctuated with marches, but with an understanding of our reality and an articulation of the best practices that benefit all Bermudians. The Union is fully aware that Government cannot include a guarantee of no redundancies in an agreement. That would make this a negotiable item each year.”
“The same practice would be held in relation to price controls. We are an island of consumers and so positioned as ‘price-takers’. Unthinking decisions could bring unintended consequences, such as an interruption in our supply lines.”
“While such pronouncements by the Union make great sound bites, words like productivity, collaboration and honest broker are real measures of the public and private sectors working in unison.
“As stated in the Budget Brief, Government will use its powers of enquiry available under the Price Commission Act 1974 to ensure consumers are protected from unwarranted price increases.
“It is my charge and my challenge is to ensure that ALL citizens of Bermuda are able to weather the current fiscal storm with as little discomfort as possible. I do so, not by having one or the other carry the weight, but by having us all share some of the responsibility.
As has been shared in the ‘bloggosphere’ and makes the point of our current situation, Unemployed? Said, and I paraphrase:
In the US public sector workers are being laid off by the thousands. In the UK the Government cuts off 500,000 public servants. In Barbados and Jamaica public sector wages were cut. In Europe public sector workers are being forced to take pay cuts, redundancies, and pension/benefit reductions…But we live in an alternate reality called Bermuda. While Government could have cut the work week and instituted real cost saving measures, they decided to keep things largely untouched and they get a march. I wonder what would have happened if the government was really tough. .. (Those) who have secure jobs, healthcare, pensions, are marching in protest, meanwhile we have multiple unemployed Bermudians and Hotel workers that earn half as much and aren’t…
The Premier continued, “I can assure the Unions’ memberships that I have genuine interest in the concerns expressed on their behalf by the leadership and it was agreed that we would meet more regularly to make certain the best information possible would be conveyed to them.
“However, of paramount importance, to me, is the fiscal stability of Bermuda and Bermudians. The Unions will act in the interest of their members and that is to be respected. However, while I seriously take those matters into account, I must act in the interest of all of Bermuda.”
“The Government has addressed fiscal prudence – doing more with less and job considerations – retaining jobs without the necessity for redundancies. Jobs preservation and steps taken to minimise job loss is key and to be supported with greater productivity and efficiency.”
“These are decisions that move the country forward during economic hardships; considered decisions and positive actions to build economic stability that will maintain the country’s standing in the long term.”
Update 8:30pm: The BPSU has released a statement in response, it follows in full below:
Majority of the information in the Government’s Press Release dated April 28, 2011 at 1647 was shared with the Civil Servants (members) at the pre march talk on Tuesday April 26, 2011.
In particular, we explained to our members that the Premier the Hon Paula Cox JP, MP did offer to meet the marchers on Monday April 25, 2011. However, we respected the Deputy Governor’s Office and the Commissioner of Police in seeking their permission for the march for Tuesday April 26, 2011. As it was Easter weekend, thought was given to all of the logistics.
More importantly, the members of the BPSU who are the supreme body of this Union had to vote on any amendments per the Constitution of the BPSU to amend a duly passed motion to march on Monday April 25, 2011 instead of Tuesday April 26, 2011. The Officers of this Union are sworn to uphold the BPSU Constitution.
We have stated in late 2010 early 2011 prior to the April 26, 2011 march that it would be difficult for the island to have mass redundancies in any sector as Bermuda does not have any unemployment insurance and displaced workers would be dependent on Financial Assistance. As we have seen recently, there are new Financial Assistance stipulations in place due to a lack of funds to support unemployed workers/households. If anything this Union commented several months ago that the Government like other global governments are challenged to find solutions to the down turn to their economies.
With respect to bloggers and comments – we know that there are various writing teams in Bermuda so we are not concerned about “spin” as this is a democratic island with variances of citizens’ opinions. That is their right.
We repeat “The plea to Bermuda is simple”: “How can we as a people – employers, workers and unions, citizens and Government pool our talents, resources to turn Bermuda’s economy around so that we see a financial resurgence of our economy.
Barbados is hosting a regional ILO conference on Tripartite Caribbean Symposium on “Tripartism and social Dialogue: comparative Experiences in dealing with Economic and Social Development Issues May 17 -18, 2011.
This is not a political, a union or employer tug of war- it’s a plea to all Bermudians who love our island home to work together to improve efficiency and productivity.
Looks like they had a very nice family reunion
Talk about media savvy. Four days after this meeting we get this ? The media has moved on from this story and so have the people. Now we get this release to resurrect it ? How many more press people does this Administration require to respond to something in a timely manner. Standard line these days: “no-one in Government responded to numerous queries on this issue”.
I suspect this is a harbinger of a pending controversial decision, sort of firing a warning shot!
First I was to say please don’t take this as negative, I’m not commenting to say either side is wrong. I just want to say that in the royal gazette “Ms Cox said she emailed the Bermuda Public Services Union (BPSU) on Friday morning to ask if the march on Cabinet could take place on Monday instead of Tuesday. Ok that’s fine but Friday morning was a public holiday, supervisors were prepared for Tuesday, Blackberries are not issued to all staff to be made aware that on Monday morning the premier is available to meet. Asking the union to switch without sufficient notice to supervisors who had to man the offices while their staff went to march would have been worse than the union who gave a weeks notice of their intent to march. whether or not we think the union is right, the same way we get public notice to say road closed for road repairs and you know in advance to detour was no different from us being made aware govt offices would have been working with skeleton crew on tuesday. I do have a question about the freeze. if biu/bpsu accept freeze does that mean IF times get better the workers will get back pay for the time they had a freeze, same way the police got years backpay for working without a contract. If anyone can answer thanks.
no they wouldn’t get back pay as a freeze would be the settlement reached for Oct 2010-Oct 2011.
Do you think that the CEO’s (bosses) of all the other companies in Bermuda are taking a pay cut before they lay off some of their employees ???!! This whole thing by the BPSU to is rediculous. Its a reccession and the ministers are the ones working to help get us out of it especially the Premier! She took huge cuts else where to help out Bermuda! You people just love negative news and love to hear bad things about the government! Take your pay cut and count your self lucky you still have a job!! As of some of us out here lost ours a long time ago and are STILL looking for one! Inconsiderate !
What I love most is how we are now getting professional bloggers here. Pump it out kids!
I dont think people are paying attention…if these unionized people go on strike off and on during the summer of discontent then not only will they be hurting locals and the visitors who rely on transportation but they will also be hurting themselves and their families as when you go on strike you loose a days pay. How will that solve anything?
Nobody can guarantee that you wont be made redundant! This is a serious recession and no body can be protected unionized or not unionized. If the man can’t afford to give you a pay check it means he has to make you redundant-government or no goverment – no body can be guaranteed that!