BIU Gives 24 Hr Notice To Reinstate Bus Driver
BIU President Chris Furbert said this morning [Aug.11] that the BIU gave the Ministry 24 hours to reinstate a bus driver who is suspended following an accident seven weeks ago.
Mr Furbert said their drug policy calls for urine drug testing, not hair follicle drugs testing which the driver has been asked to take. He also pointed out that the accident involved two bus drivers, and only one of them was asked for a drugs test.
Mr Furbert said at 10:30pm last night he “gave the Ministry 24 hours to put the sister back in the seat without no loss of pay or benefits, and that 24 hours notice will expire sometime today.”
The female bus driver was suspended seven weeks after an accident in Paget on June 24th, which saw a passenger receive minor injuries to her arm, which required treatment at KEMH. Two buses were side by side as one broke down and the passengers needed to be transferred, and during that the accident occurred.
When the bus driver returned to work she refused to take a drug test as her shop steward was not contacted in advance, and was subsequently suspended.
Update: Response from Ministry of Transport here.
“Mr Furbert said at 10:30pm last night he “gave the Ministry 24 hours to put the sister back in the seat without no loss of pay or benefits, and that 24 hours notice will expire sometime today.”
‘without no loss of pay or benefits’ means there WILL be loss of pay. Mr. Furbert needs to learn the English language so he maybe next time he won’t use no double negatives. Or maybe he just WON’T use double negatives! Not to mention he sounds like an idiot and loses all credibility when he talks that way.
I thought I was the only one that felt this way. For as much public speaking as he does you would think he’d try to sound more professional, and not like someone you find sitting on ‘the wall’ somewhere (this not at all to offend anyone. Just using the phrasing as an example).
You know something, why don’t you give Chris a break. Here he is trying to help a member and that is his job. Now your bashing him because he talks street.
A great deal of you so call suit boys may talk english good but you don’t have any common sense. When the pressures on you all run and turn from white to pink. In the end if a war was to break out in Bermuda I rather have Furbs with me then any of you. You all want to run in your big houses and hide when trouble approaches. If it wasn’t for Bernews most of you wouldn’t know what was going on in the streets.
First off, you assumed I am white. You know what they say about assumptions, right?
Second- I talk ‘street’ too….but I do it when I’m in a relaxed environment and with my friends and family. That’s half of what is wrong with Bermuda- we don’t value education and what is right and wrong. In this particular context his grammar is horribly wrong.
What kind of example is this for young kids? SOOO many of them are growing up and not knowing how to speak properly and fail to understand why one needs to talk properly. That’s fine ‘in the street’, but go and interview for a job in another industry and see how seriously they take you when you use that grammar on your resume and during your interview. We’ve lowered the standards and appear as fools to outsiders when people in respected positions speak with such horrible grammar. I have no issues with our Bermudian accent- it’s the lack of education and poor grammar from PROFESSIONALS in the workplace that makes us all look dumb. Furbert is lowering the bar for the rest of us when he speaks that way.
He would be taken much more seriously by people across the board if he could form proper sentences. Instead he’s immediately dismissed by many because of how he sounds. Also, you’ve got it wrong- he can fight on behalf of the average person on the street and still speak in an educated manner. Furbert falls well short in this area and it’s a shame.
Well said.
Thank you! I couldn’t have said it better myself.
I myself am not white. I am employed in what some may call the “professional” field but I too ‘talk street’ when in that relaxed environment with friends. But when Im at work its about business and professionalism. Its not just about LOOKING the part. One must be able to SPEAK the part as well…and Chris Furbert does not know how do to that. That was my point to those that missed it.
I’m another one that can’t stand to listen to him talk. Apart from being very irritating, it’s also very embarrassing. We need to learn that speaking properly does not mean that we think we are white or that we’re pretending to be something that we’re not. I’m not suggesting that we adopt a fake accent, our Bermudian one is just fine, but for heaven’s sake use real words and proper grammar. We need to know when street talk is okay and when it’s not. It doesn’t matter how intelligent you are or how educated you might be, if you “talk street” when it’s not appropriate you will be perceived as being dumb and stupid!!And no, you won’t get that top job either. No self-respecting company is going to present you to their clients if you can’t talk properly because if will reflect poorly on them.
I just wish we’d never adopted American street dialects, I swear if I hear just ONE more ‘professional’ person ‘aks’ someone a question, I will get an AXE. Seriously, is it SPELLED that way??? THE WORD IS ‘ASK’. A-S-K. When I hear people in positions of authority or positions in the Ministry of Education ‘aksing’ a question, it drives me nuts. Better still, if we’re posh, we say ‘ox’ instead. That really makes us all sound stupid.
You sound like a uncle Tom, RIP UBP or the new OBA clown party or whatever they call themselves.
This is why a young youth like me will never vote for any of the parties above. You really don’t want me or help me. In the end you just want another vote. I’m one who does speak well either but I still got a 4.0 GPA and I’m running circles around my other colleagues @ my job.
I support you Mr. Chris Furbert because I don’t see any of the clowns listed below or above trying to help us.
Thank you for helping the little man.
you are an ignoramus. why does one have to be an Uncle Tom because they express their opinion against some whom you support? Chris Furbert supports anything that is against the rules (his rules)……
This attitude is, sadly, part of the reason why black Bermudians in Bermuda are struggling so much and will continue to do so. Regardless of the past, if you’ve adopted the mindset that to be highly educated and use proper grammar is being a ‘sellout’, then you will continue to hold back your race as a whole. I’ve come across this sort of thing a lot and it turns my stomach; a young, well spoken, black bermudian male is accused of ‘acting white’ if they ‘conform to the white man’s system’ or whatever other dumb crap is being fed to them by the uneducated masses. Those who strive to get ahead are Uncle Toms who are trying to be white. *SMH*
Perhaps you’ve done alright for yourself, but imagine how much further you could go if you broadened your worldview; talk ‘street’ when you conduct business overseas and see how quickly you’ll be dismissed.
So hold on! You people are trying to bash his accent? This is how a majority of Bermudians talk. Relaxed or not! This is our native accent. So your trying to tell me that other Island’s infulentuel people shouldn’t talk how they have their whole life? Jamaican’s cant have an accent either?
You people make me laugh !!
@Reader, I can tell your white with little understanding. You think if a Bermudian went abroad they will be denied work opportunity because of their accent? No they will be denied because of skin color first!
You demonstrate my point even further, with your inability to read and comprehend what I wrote. I very clearly said I have no issue with our Bermudian accent; I have one and it’s part of who we are- nothing at all to be ashamed of. However when in a professional setting, you must use proper grammar which can be done with your natural accent. The accent is fine but you have to be able to talk the language of business- using correct grammar- to be taken seriously by others. Otherwise you appear to outsiders as uneducated. Is that how you want to come across?
My race is completely irrelevant to this discussion but if you’re dead set on judging me on that basis, I’m of a mixed background, for what it’s worth. Finally, if a white or black Bermudian went abroad with a business proposal and spoke with the type of grammar Chris Furbert uses, their race would play no factor whatsoever- they would be judged based on the fact that they would appear uneducated. Again, I use poor grammar when I slide into my comfort zone out of work with my friends. However I recognize that our accent, as much as I love it, uses very poor grammar.
The accent is OK but the poor grammar is not, in a professional environment. Like it or not, that’s simply the REALITY of the situation.
There’s a difference between accent and grammatical correctness. No one bashes the Bermudian’s accent, or the Jamaican’s. Everyone speaks with an accent, we are talking about grammar. A double negative makes you sound stupid, because it effectively means exactly the opposite of what you intended. I love our accent, as Bermudians. You don’t need to talk street to adequately represent the working man. Maybe if the BIU were represented by someone who spoke using better grammar, less in shouts and more in measured tones, then they’d have a bit more credibility. It makes me very sad when our boys are bullied to dumb themselves down, so they don’t ‘act too white’. Since when did the proud African culture become associated with not knowing any better than to use such poor grammar?? Let’s not even talk about his word usage. I’ve even heard the man say ‘misconscrewed’ when he meant ‘misconstrued’, and ‘flustrated’ when he meant ‘frustrated’. Just embarrassing…
Precisely my point ‘Fed Up Bermudian’. For ages blacks were denied an education and certain people WANTED to keep them uneducated. (there are still some around today who do too) So to have the chance now at being educated and choosing to dumb yourself down is feeding right into that destructive plan. It’s so sad and frustrating.
To be clear, the issue of poor grammar exists in whites too. However I’m speaking to the situation whereby young blacks- boys in particular- are being conditioned to think it’s not only OK to be uneducated, but to be educated and use correct grammar is essentially ‘being white’. It’s ‘cooler’ to be uneducated and to act in ways that put you at odds with larger society. What a destructive way of thinking this is.
In this case the transcript is wrong. Watch the video. There was not no double negative.
Furbert still sounds like a moronic thug, though, regardless. Especially when he uses the collective bargaining agreement as a tool to bash management with rather than a guide that has intent and spirit, just like the law. This driver’s non-compliance is completely against the spirit of what’s in the CBA. The lady obviously has a problem, she SHOULD be getting treatment and counseling, and his actions are effectively delaying treatment. And, if she’s ‘standing on principle’, then I say cut her loose. There are plenty of unemployed people who would love to have that job. I used to think unions were good things, now I wish they’d all disappear. It’s a rare thing these days that the worker is abused, it’s now management who are the suckers. It’s something like the second paragraph of the collective bargaining agreement that states management MUST be ALLOWED TO MANAGE. When does this happen, Chris? Tell me ONE instance you know of where management have been allowed to actually DO their jobs. I’m no legal expert, but negating that one clause should be enough to invalidate the whole agreement, so I say, let’s. Go and walk on that one, I guarantee that with the first missed rent payment, with the first missed school fee payment, or mortgage payment, there would be a very different attitude in the average worker.
A “young youth”? With that 4.0 GPA i would think that you would know the definition of both words and realize that the use of the word “young” in this instance is redundant.
Guess who uses public transport? The little man does because he can’t afford private transportation so all those little men who rely on the bus to take them to work and back are going to be properly screwed by the bus driver and Mr Sherbert. Do you know who else gets coc*ed in this deal? You know those three little old ladies who run that tourist shop in St Georges? They’ve been there forever, surely you know who I’m talking about. They are next to get screwed because tourists won’t be able to catch a bus down there to go into their shop and buy their stuff. So Hi Uncle can you find the winner in this situation? Acegirl who refused the test had nothing to lose by pissing in the cup so you can’t declare her the winner under any circumstances.
Another white man.
And what?
“speak english well”, you mean?
an apparent ,mindless “assumer”….how u know this person ain’t “street”
PLP + UNION = VOTES
Let’s see how much power the BIU has this time. Last time BIU was clearly in the drivers seat, rather than the Government. It’ll be interesting to see how this one pans out..
will be the same.
Sadly, agreed.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/4021/awjeezrk7.jpg
where the bus drivers messed up is when they agreed to take drug tests period (& maybe all government workers ) when again their employers refuse to.
Why wouldn’t they give a sample. Do they have something to hide?
They don’t have to. Whether they have something to hide or not. Emloyers should not be able to, just make up their own rules as they see fit. Give her a urine test and go from there. It’s the Principle of the matter. Employees should be protected. Thank You BIU
errr did you read? they tried to give a urine test and she refused. If you could just refuse a test with no repercussions, then whats the point of the test?
No notice was given. All they had to do was give a notice that day and test her on the next one. If she had any substances in her system they would still show up in 24 hours. She exercised her employee rights and was penalized for it.
Put the sister back in the seat!
If a brother isn’t suspended for causing “concussion and spinal compression fractures”, the sister must be put back in the seat!
http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20110628/NEWS/706289977
So let them strike…. The BIU will soon back down when they have to pay the striking workers from their all but empty accounts!!
You know Government is going to back down they are scared of losing a few votes!!!!
It’ll be interesting to see if Mr Listless backs down yet again!!!
I bet Terry will back down….he does not have the power that Chris Furbert has.
The BIU is the PLP. The PLP is the BIU. They’re in bed with each other, so you know what’s gonna happen.
To think we Bermudians I for one wanted Listless to be our Premier !!!!!!!! this man should be fired, he has no back bone.
Here we go again!!! If i read it correctly one bus was stationary???? So i would suspect that is the reason why only one bus driver was suspended.
why should she take a drug test when government mp’s won’t?
Because the driver got in an accident! DUHHHHH. Why shouldn’t she be tested if this could be the cause of TWO TOURIST INJURIES!?
She should be drug tested because she is in charge of a public vehicle that carries passengers. Which means that the passengers have put their on safety in her hands.
Why dont BIU just hand in their financials like they are suppose to
This has been festering for 7 weeks?
Every single bus driver and ferry boat driver should be drug tested or fired
I agree.
All of these people are talking about Government Ministers taking drug tests.
I understand where you are coming from, however when you have employees who are in charge of operating public transportation. There should be no question.
The problem that I have with drug testing is that it doesn’t reveal if the person was under the influence at the time of the incident. In other words, she might have smoked marijuana a week ago while off duty, during her personal time, but the drug test would still be positive. I don’t believe it is just to fire someone for what they do outside of the job. Marijuana is illegal, but what people choose to do in their private lives is their choice. If a person is never under the influence of any substance, legal or illegal while working, is it really just to fire him because he failed a drug test?
She won’t be fired if she tests positive for illegal substances. All she has to do is go to drug counseling, complete the course of treatment, pass a piss test and she goes back to work, simple as that. It is her who is making this so difficult for herself and potentially thousands of others.
Sigh BIU at it again. You can’t keep rewarding bad behaviour Chris! It is simply unacceptable! Like In General said (If i read it correctly one bus was stationary???? So i would suspect that is the reason why only one bus driver was suspended.)Shouldn’t that be how it goes the one who caused the accident gets suspended??? Hopefully this time around Government won’t back down as the need to remember they have other people on the island who would love to have a steady job right now. A few truck drivers are out of work and others can be taught!!
WHY DON’T THE BIU GIVE THE BANKS 24 HOURS TO DROP THEIR INTEREST RATES ON MORTGAGES AND BETTER THEIR INSURANCE PLAN FOR BANK STAFF OR ELSE!!!!
COME ON BIU GET SERIOUS WILL YOU!
GPS you are delusional. If you don’t want to pay interest, don’t get a loan. Your choice.
Had this been you or I we would have been charged with due care, fined points on our licence and maybe off the road.
She has been ask to participate in a hair follicle blood test now because it has been some time since the incident occurred. When it comes to drug testing hair follicle testing can detect drug use up to 90 days after the drug has been taken which is not possible with urine tests which have a narrow range of detection. Hair testing can detect drugs taken even within 6 months.
Let me ask a fundamental question; if the driver is a substance abuser, should she be driving a public vehicle? I get the impression that this doesn’t bother some of the posters here.
Why not. Everyone else does. Hell… thats like telling a Ferry Boat Captain he’s full of Bull……..
I’m just thinking how wonderful it would be if Paula’s new Good Governance Act covered Chris and his antics!! Someone needs to tell him that he can’t always have his way. I’m sure I’m not the only one that is tired of his tantrums. He needs a good spanking and to be sent to his room. BIU members might ‘enjoy’ having him have their backs so that they can’t be disciplined or dismissed no matter what they do (or in this case, don’t do) but he is not doing this country or its people any good. In the real world, there are rules and consequences for our actions and we ALL need to grow up and learn to abide by them. It’s the attitudes of those that are supposed to be our leaders that have Bermuda going to hell in a basket!!
whats up with all these professional looking boardroom tables anyways? All the millions spent in our budget and we can’t have people that represent us looking professional? Forget about sounding professional!
Imagine the ppl from abroad that look at this video with Furbert………
It would seem that as the head of the UNION one would be well versed in all areas with respect to the drug polices and general information pertaining to any problems that may qccur under his watch. 24,48 hours ,I dont know sounds ill prepared for a union boss. Ottie was one of the best at putting a team together to reserch and then would spit out an orative that would make the queen of England shake.
Tjere is also a certain edge in MR. FURBERTS TONE THAT RUBS PEOPLE THE WRONG WAY.To me he sounds very confrontational,like no matter what you say he will be against it.conduct youself like a man Chris Furbert, the kids are watching.
I’m ready to pick people up at bus stops. I for one will not willingly be held ransom by this bunch of crooks, cheats and liars. I truly feel sorry for the PTB employees who are honest and hard-working, they are painted with the same brush. My unemployed and drug-free spouse would be delighted to learn how to drive a bus. Chris is a bully and a hothead, with no common sense. He’s damaged the credibility of the union and steadily diminished its usefulness in this modern world. When do the employers get their due? When does this awful tide turn? The modeling that they are doing for our youth is just appalling. We’re all to blame for ‘how things are’, but I’m ready to help take Bermuda back.
So- go ahead. Strike. I dare you. And Terry Lister, PLEASE don’t back down. Of course it’s way more convenient for me to take a bus, but I’ll drive my car in, I’ll pick up people at bus stops. I can only get three others to work in my little car. Who else will do the same???? I’m sick of this sort of thing strangling our economy and setting the worst possible example for our kids. I’ll take time off work and drive tourists if I have to. I used to empathize with the working man, now I don’t. These bus drivers should be damned grateful to have a job in this economy!!!!
I totally agree…
This whole issue is a waste of time and debate. We all know what the outcome will be…again! The BIU will bully Lister into giving in…again, the driver will be back behind the wheel…again, and all will be good with the PTB staff…for now, until they find something else to complain about. What a joke this Island has become…
looks like Chris furbert has watched Scareface or The Godfather one to many times! He acts like he is a thug! Talks like he is a thug and by his own demeaner, looks like he is a thug!
Black Bermudians, please stand up and fight for a good cause instead of “I’d rather be on his side then with a bunch of pink people that run and hide during stressful times” -a remark used sometime in the last few days, after talking about “a war”.
Like come on when will we all see that spending and borrowing does not balance books?
We definatly are sending the wrong message to the youth. It starts at the top too MRS PREMIER! Your not stepping in to these rediculous actions by the BIU has discredited you yet again. You are still just a clog by the looks of things. Thats ok too, righ, as politics and being in charge of the checkbook far outweighs the balance of the country’s opinions towards what the BIU and Government get away with, right? You are all crooks and your making the 40 Theives look like Kindergarden criminals.
Giving this girl her job back….hmmm is same as giving the tourist a$3000 fine and 30 days in jail. The same as giving that guy that broke that fella’s jaw no time. The same as letting these bums walk out of court after stealing. Even though we could go back in the same 6 month period and see that other people got off for these same things and so on. There is no consistency, its a day to day thing……and really thats excactly how this country is being run people….DAY TO DAY
Start packing people
and again, dont assume my color