Pay Freeze Concept: Union Members Not Happy
This afternoon [Apr.7], speaking to Bernews, Bermuda Industrial Union [BIU] President Chris Furbert confirmed that at this morning’s general membership meeting for Government workers, the broad membership accepted the concept of a pay freeze and a continuing ban on overtime payments, and ‘straight time’ will be paid for any time necessarily worked beyond the standard working hours.
Mr Furbert said that while members were not happy to do so, many of them did accept it had to happen. He said that the general membership were deeply concerned that while they would likely see their pay frozen, other costs such as utilities, health premiums, gas, and food would continue to rise and that the Union should pressure Government to do something to limit these price rises.
Mr Furbert pointed out and confirmed that Hospitality Workers represented by the BIU had already suffered three consecutive years of pay freeze. He said that the only relief these workers had had was that they no longer paid Payroll Tax on their incomes. Mr Furbert said that this was the only thing that had happened with them in the past three years.
BIU President Furbert’s general direction from this morning’s membership meeting of all Government workers represented by the BIU was that he and the BIU team must go back to Government and press for Government action on other prices and wages elsewhere in the economy and within government.
The members left the meeting many of them talking and expressing their anger. Many said they were not happy and stated they feel that more senior Government officials who are on a far higher pay scale, such as Ministers, should take a pay cut rather then expect them to bear the burden alone.
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However, if the general government workforce are being asked to accept a pay freeze why can’t the ministrial government staff. What’s good for the goose should be good for the gander.
What happened to LEADING BY EXAMPLE??? I believe that’s part of the reason why we are in the place financially that were in. Enough of breaking the average Jane/Joe’s pockets, and let’s start snipping from the bigger purses, which can make an even bigger dent in our deficit.
Let COMMON SENSE PREVAIL!!
Wait til Chris Furbert becomes a senator , just like the other past BIU presidents…. Does no one see the NEW trend with the PLP politics…
Understandable and B’s comments are on the money….no pun intended!
The irony is the Brothers and Sisters are angry because the door is hitting them in the ass whilst the slammer just went and got a loan courtesey of pay to play. And yah betcha Les.Colonel Des Eastbroadway is having a La Fleur el Entrance Le Banc………………………………………………………………….
Like Sadamn Hoosain said……..”You stand tall for a season. You loose your neck for a reason………
How long will this maddness continue? How much will it take for people to realise they are not being heard? Will they continue the Bermudian Tradition of “Suffer in Silence” or will they stand up and be Heard? PEOPLE OF BERMUDA PLEASE WAKE UP!!!!!
The days of suffering in silence is over….we are not being heard !!! the cog is in charge and she has her own agenda.
I think she is planning an election very soon…do we need more of the B.S. lord we sure had enough from Brown and now we have more #$%^ from her!!!!!
and to think we do not have any opposition !!so it is the same old same old…
and we lot let it go on !!!what the hell is wrong with us ?
Yet you will all continue to vote PLP won’t you?? All talk and no action.
Stop feeding this ignorance. MPs and other politicians’ salaries are set by an INDEPENDENT committee. That is legislated and not subject to anything the Government can do. The most they can do is what they have done, which is not to accept the increases. No politician has had an increase in salary since 2007/08; longer than the workers have gone without one. fair is fair. And while we’re at it, part of the reason have such poor quality representatives is because the pay is so low. If you pay peanuts you get monkeys.
What utter nonsense! If Ministers wanted to be in sync with their workers, after all, isn’t this the PEOPLES government, then they could take a cut in salary. I honestly can’t believe the crap that you want us to accept Hmmmmmmmm. Please stop with the garbage.
I assume this grand gesture applies to the Opposition and the Independents in the House and Senate too? or is it just the Government who have to “be in sync”?
EVERYONE.
MP’s are wealthy compared to the majority of Bermuda’s population. You can not compare them to the middle class.
Yes and sorry but did they not vote on increasing their wages when Brown took control. Thats is what I remember anyway. I sometimes think Hmmmmm is conected to Government some how.
LOL
Connected only by my vote. Facts are facts whether you like them or not. Having had the benefit of living somewhere besides this little goldfish bowl, these red herring arguments don’t even get my attention. If we paid better we wouldn’t get the dregs in the House that we have; and that’s on both sides. As for my BIU brethren, stop focusing on what the MPs are making and look inside where you work. For how many years have the British engineers in Works and Engineering had housing allowances or houses provided? Compare the package for the Bermudian heads of departments within government with those of the foreigners they replaced….the poxy $160k paid to Ministers and the $57k paid to MPs isn’t the problem; its the hidden perks negotiated only for foreigners within the civil service that represent real inequity. But our culture directs that we assault our own only. Sad.
Blame the expats. Typical.
I don’t blame them at all. The deal they get is what normal people negotiate. I say more power to them. I blame the sick locals who deny this to their own or those too ignorant to ask for the same thing their expat co-workers receive.
Expats are better workers. Simple as that. If they are not then why do successful companies seek them out? It’s not a conspiracy theory.
“INDEPENDENT committee they selected the committee.”
So is this fact or fiction Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm……………
LOL
Being unafraid of the facts, here’s the law:
The Board shall consist of not less than six nor more
than eight members appointed by the Premier after consultation
with the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
Assembly and the Opposition Leader.
The membership of the Board shall be as follows:
(a) one member who is entitled to practise as an accountant
under the Institute of Chartered Accountants of
Bermuda Act 1973;
(b) one member who is admitted to practise as a barrister
and attorney under section 51 of the Supreme Court Act
1951, or a retired puisne judge;
(c) two members who shall be nominated for appointment
by the Opposition Leader;
(d) a retired member of the Legislature; and
(e) not more than three members who are suitable for
appointment to the Board due to their professional
experience or qualifications.
2 The Premier shall appoint one of the members to be the
Chairman of the Board.
So, not sure who “they” is as far as you’re concerned but I hope this helps.
Yes so the Government that voted for itself to get a raise did in fact select the committee. Thank you for verifying how circler this is I for one would appoint those that I like as the committee. Who was the Premier then? The track record of the PLP as the ruling party has not been so kind to any who oppose them have they. Also why would the opposition not go along with this as they also befit from it in two ways more money and they can say the PLP did it.
LOL
Agreedm maybe Hmmmm is a disgruntled low paid politician himself/herself and annoyed that he/she is not making top dollars for the privelage of serving ones country
Why would they accept an increase with what they are currently making..that would be a sin!!!!!remember many of them are drawing 2 salaries as being an MP is not their main job….I agree that they should lead by example…
Glad you at least admit you have poor representation many of whom are now being paid more than they have been paid in their lives…As far as an
INDEPENDENT committee they selected the committee and I have never seen one say no to the people who selected them. As far as no raise since 2007/2008 with the size of the raise and the ridiculous increase in their pension they could go another 50 years without increase and still be overpaid and underworked…..
We are paying a terrible price for the Brown stain left on the landscape of these fair islands .Not one of those blue collar workers were invited to the Party , but ,they are expected to pick up the tab and WILL pay dearly.
The saying goes;You may not get all you pay for , but , you’ll pay for all you get .
The Union leadership is a leakyship ,worthless,spineless and gutless…
Yup…LICKS IS TRUMPS ! !
Bermuda you are being used by the PLP and the B.I.U, but still we do nothing to stop it. just look around you the PLP is making deal like ex-pat can buy condo and
house now being REPOED by the bank BUT THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WORKING IN ARE LAND!!
and yes they will be rent them back to us, it look to like Bermudian’s just do not care, the PLP was a labor party before they got into power and they are just crooks
filling there pockets. we have lost are voice and are just a joke to them, look around you all the ex-pats are here in Bermuda working and living very well and you and I are being told there is no work for us, only in Bermuda where its pepole are
kraped on like this. we need to have some guts and take back are Bermuda.
I’m thinking you are being sarcastic, but in case you aren’t:
1- the word is our not “are”
2- the word is their not “there”
3- the word is crapped not “kraped”
And if you were being sarcastic, back that crap up mate! I’m quite sure I can make fun of where you come from as well, if I knew where that was.
No Iam not from Crooks Is, ? how cold is it where you come from,
not being sarcastic but you can spell real good! they have good
schools in canada?
This Govt’s time is up!!!
ya had all these years and all ya done is TAKE
Finally the Gov has done something to piss off tha Bruthass an Sistass!
Its about effing time!!!!!!! Yeh!!
Yea i wait till the vote happens to verify that statement.
LOL vote’m in again hahahahha
I say quit your jobs and start your own business!! I bet the tone will change then! You will quickly understand how difficult it is,especially right now to maintain a business and keep people employed. Not easy folks. I say ride it out and help your employer. You will be rewarded in the end as it will be appreciated.
Watching with your eyes closed, ..some employers maybe, but a large majority don’t give a flying fig about the staff beyond what they contribute to the bottom line of the business. And rewarded??? Yeah right when was the last bonus or extra week off with pay handed out that you know about? A reward of ” Thank you” and a smile is not sufficient.
hahaha yeah right…we are just resources in the corporate vision. Not people.
Wow why all the fuss,
1 Workers are abusing sick leave like crazy
2 Workers productivity level is terrible
3 Cell Phone usage is out the door
4 Yes Civil Servants are ruthlessly lazy and feel a sense on entitlement
4 Managers fail to manage effectivly
These are the things that are part of the problem and needs to be addressed
Yes Cush,you may be correct but the question is where did those workers learn to behave as they are….from the example set before them by those above/before them.
You’ve taken the worst stereotypes and passed them off as the norm….you remind me of the woman that tightly grasped her shoulder bag when walking pass a certain demographic
Funny thing there is that in some places a woman of any demographic does the same thing when passing any group of men now day. Just say’n
LOL
i would too if i have a bag..
i assume you mean the “thuggish” demographic? if you are implying any black males, then you are stereotyping yourself.. there is a huge difference in reaction between passing a well dress black man in the street, and some with huge jeans, bling and hat.. if i saw anyone dressed like that i raise my guard too.
as bad as the stereotype may be though, my safety is more important then being politically correct.
Unfortunately that “thuggish” demographic gets passed on to any black male not “well-dressed”. Hate to break it to you but most people dress casually when not at work. Weekends and evenings I’m in jeans and most of the time and if it’s nippy i got on a hoodie. Oh I wear hats too, got a collection of them in different colours. Do i fit into your “thuggish” demographic? I mean 9-5 Monday to Friday I’m in polo or button down, khakis and dress shoes.
Good night Bermuda.
If Bermudian people are RRRRREALLY upset then they will have to show it be protesting. Several things have happened over the last couple of years and when a thousand or so people protest it was always passed off as “a few upset white people who can’t get what they want”.
So Bermuda, if you are really upset then DO SOMETHING. Go out and protest!!! Personally, I’m not holding my breath – cos I don’t think things are bad enough yet for Joe Bermudian to get off his lazy effing ass!!!!!!!!!!!!
Prove me wrong people!!!!!!
You think protesting will do anything? Last couple years have proven protesting gets you no where. Unless you shut down the country ie buses, still can’t believe they got away with that LOL. IF YOUR LEADERS DON’T CHANGE – CHANGE YOUR LEADERS. And I mean both parties.
Power is with the people, if we all stopped working bermuda would be in crisis. Maybe thats what needs to be done.
And it can’t be white people coming out first it must be the core PLP supporters and then the whites might join in but I think the whites have had enough of being called white lync mobs and such.
LOL
Joe Labourer Bermudian won’t be do feckkin shheeeeyat. He still worrin bout hees CRWee veels an his flet shcreeen teewee. He darn de clob anyvay rayt naw.
All his laydies lookin after all his Shildrens.
He ain gotti pay no support. Dem shildrens stay wiff hiss aunties.
Peece owt
..how old are you anyway?
Axpat workers get to live in the hotel or get a big house for free and lots of salarys and wage. We Bermudians have to pay weigh high rents and get a car loans and for extra wheels too. My car didn’t even come wiff a tv so I had to buy it extra – and the weels were plain and no tint. It all costs money you no!!!!!!!!!!
Rent is simple to much and my car loan from my auntie 2. Thats why I can’t pay for my cildren. We need more money and good jobs like the foreners. The local al; weighs gets screwd.
Graduate from High School, get a college education, stop smoking weed, get your lazy azz off the wall – - THEN you’ll be qualified for the ex-pats’ job and we won’t need to lure them here with high salaries to do the jobs we can’t. Simple!! Until you do that, SHUT UP and thank the ex-pats for spending their income on our island.
some of you people are just plain delusional,every country in the world is suffering from the global crisis,in fact it’s the worst economic crisis in one hundred years, and many of you,by the way still have jobs, and you continue to complain and play the blame game. yes many people have lost their jobs, and are having a hard time, but I haven’t heard of one gov’t worker being made redundant. Especially the civil servants.The US for instance is getting ready to shut down, 800,000 public sectors jobs will be lost, so that will mean less tourists for Bermuda. who will you blame for that? Oh yes Paula Cox,Chris Furbert, Ewart Brown, B.Obama. People stop crying the blues, if you still have a job, be more productive,make your time, stop abusing sick time, ( which the unions fought hard for.)save some of the money you work for, and by all means, CUT BACK ON THE WEED, AND ALCOHOL AND TAKE YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE CLOUDS. This is 2011 not 1980.The world has changed, and the so called good old days are over.Either get with the program, or keep crying and complaining. And for those who are proposing a protest,just when the Cruise ship seasons is just starting, and a new Airline just landed in Bermuda, What kind of message will that send to a first time visitor? (COMMONE SENSE IS JUST NOT COMMON ANYMORE.)
You sit there and sum us up to not being as in bad of a shape as compared to others. And YES I do blame Cox and Brown for OUR current state of affairs. These are cries for help and it is sad you can not see it. People are suffering and you think they should “suffer in silence” because we “guest”. I bet if you would have heard the crack of the whip you would have said ” Yay masters home!”
You missed the point!
By all means. Please share the point. We are the victims and I missed the point. Another “Yay masters home”
Like I said “YOU MISSED THE POINT”!
Like I said Another “Yay Masters Home”.
Personally if you added on punchdrunk , dimwitted ,short-sighted and foul mouth ,You would have pretty accuratley described the former Gov’ment Administrations spending habits .
They subscribed to the ILLUSION ,that there was no end to the MONEY , and spent their way through a BILLON EFFIN DOLLARS ,mind you every penny of it borrowed .Delusional you say , That accurateley describes the GOOD DOCTOR ,who ATTEMPTED to created a PRESIDENTIAL air about Himself ,while overruns of not one but every single project that he personally was involved with became a money pit.The amount of money that was mismanaged should have served as a buffer for times like these instead .
Epic failure , now that describes Our past and current FINANCE MINISTER .I’ll be the first to admit that I really admire her ,but, for her personal academia and sterling career achievments .
Stop picking on the small guy , your acting like a bully .We only have our labor to sell; why should we give it away ?
I agree!
My how the times have changed people have switch sides see for your self. Do you say these things at CC. Oh if they cut the civil service where will the votes come from? Right now the civil service has more power than they know.
LOL
Just stop please. STOP, the PLP government was warned about what was coming their way by Bob Richards and they accused him of FEAR MONGERING!!! Which says they weren’t paying attention!!
We could have prepared if the PLP cared! This is what happens when governments don’t do what they tell everyone else to do.
SAVE FOR A RAINY DAY. The MAIN reason we are in this situation is because of SPEND, SPEND, SPEND mantra that the PLP had for the last five years!! Everyone knows it so save yourself the embarrassment. BAD FISCAL MANAGEMENT. If they had saved for a rainy day, they could have easily stimulated a bad economy instead of raising taxes, which everyone with a brain knows is a death knoll for a bad economy.
Mr Furbert pointed out and confirmed that Hospitality Workers represented by the BIU had already suffered three consecutive years of pay freeze. He said that the only relief these workers had had was that they no longer paid Payroll Tax on their incomes. Mr Furbert said that this was the only thing that had happened with them in the past three years.
Mr Furbert,
What you fail to realize or point out is that it was and is the Bermudian Hotel worker that had their wages frozen for 3 years.
Guest workers have the option of living in subsidized housing and eating in the cafeteria for a fraction of what it cost for Bermudians to live.
Bermudians have to pay electricity, cable, internet plus feed, cloth, educate their children, plus pay union dues. When all is said and done it is Generations of Bermudians that have to pay for tax deferrals.
The real benefactors of not paying the Payroll Tax on their incomes, is guest worker managers and directors who by the way due not pat union dues. They are paid large salaries with housing, food, entertainment, transportation allowances plus they invite friends and family from far off places to come and enjoy the hospitality of Bermuda.
Mr Furbert I worked in a hotel you represent. Let me tell you once again it was Hell! I had to fight at times with the management to have the kitchen environment cleaned properly. Back in July of 09 one of your shop stewards stood up at a kitchen meeting and told the Executive Chef that him and the health inspector were stomping out cockroaches in the kitchen. Yes Mr Ferburt one of your lieutenants said this. I stood up at the union meeting at the BIU complex and told you about broken equipment and other inadequacies in the work place months before, you done nothing Mr Ferburt.
You and your representatives violate many of the articles in the agreement, example Article 33 Uniforms and Equipment, Article 34 Safety and Health, Article 40 subsection (e) Shop Stewards who are promoted to positions outside the scope of this Agreement shall no longer act as Shop Stewards.
This particular property spent millions on paint, landscape and entertainment expenses while BIU Members worked in substandard conditions in the back of the house.
Mr Ferburt, I phone your predecessor twice at home and spoke to him about the living and working conditions. These conditions existed for years. They then stacked workers 4 to a room in bunk beds and feed them food left over from buffets.
The PLP & The BIU have a motto “FORWARD EVER BACKWARD NEVER”, meaning “UNITY BREEDS STRENGTH”.
Do you not find it amazing who and what the BIU will go to bat for?
blah
Oh my.
You know, ministers taking a pay cut or union members taking a pay freeze wont make any difference to Bermuda’s economic problem. It is not about pay cuts and freezes. It is about the economy. Bermuda’s economy is collapsing: the model is broken and the PLP is stuck in some labour/social time warp not knowing which of its policies to reverse or how to generate more foreign exchange. Tourism represents at most 15% of our economy and yet that is all it is talking about. The BIU -with the exception of government services- really has no place at the economic table. We don’t need pay freezes (an admission of defeat) we need more business. Regrettably we have elected only a very few people who have the capability to even understand Bermuda’s predicament, and to know that we are not where we are entirely due to a world wide recession.
We destroyed our tourism product; we are destroying our international business reputation; and now Bermudians are calling for price fixing so they can buy food while complaining about Portuguese labourers.
And so, the band plays on.
@ Joe – This comment wasn’t “Dumb” LOL
I love how we need mor business but casinoes are a bad idea because you know, there are casinos in jersey and las vegas…bermuda makes me sick.
From what I have read it appears that Toursim accounts for just under 5% of BDA’s total GDP these days…
What we have to understand is that is takes a large degree of intelligence to run any country and economy properly. At present Bermuda is in social and economic turmoil. The administration will blame the global economic climate, but we as an Island still have social and economic problems that were there long before. The Recession only highlighted the underlying cracks. The PLP when they came to power set out to pay themselves and their employees exceptionally well. The attitude was; “it’s time to get ours”, sort of mentality. Hence the high expense accounts, wages, cars. Giving Bermudians “safe’ and well paid jobs in the Civil service in order to secure and win votes. ‘Take care of your own’, mentality while the rest of Bermuda pays the bill. Very unbalance and unsustainable but also self-serving. Dr. Brown is a multi-millionaire who is living in a Mansion somewhere far away right now. Squandered the public purse on Music events and fan fare. Now the Government does not have enough money to guarantee people fair pay. You voted for it Bermuda. We need smarter people in Government, if you look at the credentials of half of the $150k a year crowd; I very much doubt they would be making that kind of money in the private sector. They would just not be smart enough. Successful countries are run by the smartest people in the land, not the people who got into politics because they know it pays well and if they do their time no matter what that pay check is guaranteed.
Absolutely correct.
Their’s a New Sheriff in town, and times are a changing! and Conchy Joe
Says its time to go for ALL YOU EX-PATS, start packing and get cracking
and find aother rock to suck-off of, Go home and get a real Job!!!
Trust me, will be OK, we have learned from you all SO MUCH!!!! the one thing
that come to mind is that you are here because you can’t work in your own
countries and trust me this is your last stop because in anyother country
they would eat for lunch, so please take care.
For the Deep!
Ahhhh..Bermudian ignorance…some of the highest grade ignorance available…
You like that good, so like I said get packing!!!!!
See ya.
I say we all as BERMUDIANS need to take a stand and get out country back on its feet and do it and a whole. I voice my opinions and Im a govn’t worker.. In my office they tell me i shouldnt make comment but yet they all talk low and get upset for the crap that is happening here. When W&E STRIKE bet u I WILL BE WALKING WITH THEM .. I say we all need to put a stop to this maddness.. SHUT THE ISLAND DOWN and make them see the people of BERMUDA mean BUSINESS .. Little Libya and Egypt is coming soon !!!
Ke,
Yes you need to spread the word, get the ball rolling, its your
Country and your life do not let them steal it from you!!!!
Thank you for being a real Bermudian!