Video: BIU President Addresses Docks Dispute
[Updated w/Stevedoring Services response] BIU President Chris Furbert said that the dock dispute has been referred back to arbitration, and also noted that if the employer is instituting layoffs, he has been instructed by the workers to institute an overtime ban.
Mr Furbert said for the past 5/6 months they have been in discussions about the hours of work, with the dispute due to the issue of ‘non-productive time’ due to less work available as the volume of containers has decreased.
Stevedoring Services has offered to pay the workers 50% of their wage for the hours they were unable to work, which the workers have rejected.
12-minute video of Mr Furbert’s statement:
“The workers have decided that the proposal that management had on the table for the hours of work is not acceptable so they have rejected the proposal,” said Mr Furbert.
“The employer is now saying that they are giving two weeks notice for layoffs and/or redundancies,” continued Mr Furbert. “If the employer is instituting layoffs, I am instructed by the workers to institute an overtime ban.”
When asked if he thought the deal was fair, Mr Furbert replied: “Whether I think it’s fair the employer will basically pay them 50% of their wage to basically stay home and not be on the job…that’s still for the workers to make the final decision as to whether or not they think it’s fair.
“They believe that because their work is gone, its worth a not more to them than 50% the employer is putting on the table.”
Update 5.39pm: Stevedoring Services Ltd CEO Peter L. Aldrich said: “I can confirm that Stevedoring Services employees were today given two weeks’ notice that layoffs will be made by the company, effective December 14, on days where there is no work required.
“The timing is regrettable as we approach the holiday season, however, taking this course of action was unavoidable in order for us to preserve our long-established business.
“As a result of the downturn, island-wide businesses and therefore cargo volumes, have declined so dramatically in recent years that Stevedoring Services’ existing business model cannot be sustained through 2013 and beyond.
“The company has made every effort to reduce operational costs on all fronts, but the challenging economy dictates that further cost-cutting is essential to the company’s survival.
“This action follows renewed talks with the BIU over the last four months to resolve outstanding salary issues. We have proposed a standby payment for our employees for times when they are not routinely required instead of paying them in full for days when they are not required for work.
“We believe that the talks were genuinely conducted with an honest attempt by both parties towards reaching an agreement. Unfortunately no such agreement was reached.
“I would like to thank The Hon. Patrice Minors, JP, MP, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, for notification today that this matter will now be taken to arbitration in a further attempt to bring this issue to a mutually-agreeable settlement,” concluded Mr Aldrich.
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- Dock Workers Give Notice Of Overtime Ban | Bernews.com | December 5, 2012
Please go on strike. Please, please, please.
He is dumb enough..but yeah..go on…
food prices triple as dock workers hold out for higher wages.
in a surprise news release container ship companies will no longer bring their ships to port.
Next ….
Fire them.
This Union is more harmful than helpful. Mr. Furbert, you should be advising the workers that this is a good deal and they should accept it.
They are going to lose their jobs. I guess half a loaf is no longer better than none at all.
That’s right chris … Ramp up labour tensions just before an election !!!
Lots of temporary workers available for short-term hustles. I bet they’ll even work in the rain, overtime at straight pay too.
Stevedoring Services – post your contact details.
Gives a new meaning to sitting on the Doc Of the Bay.
Ewart is doing a great job of bringing Bermuda to it’s knees.
PLP/BIU…………………Same ship, differant Doc.
Wake up Bermuda.
Really hope management hold firm. To give in to Union demands on this one will cause a jump in the price of just about every consumer good on the island. Groceries included. Solidarity means looking out for yourself, apparently.
Slash base pay to $50 a week and return container royalties at a level that ensures no loss in pay for a full 8 hour day. Fair pay for an honest day’s work. A guaranteed work week with overtime for stevedores is ridiculous. It’s not a 9-5 job.
Thing is they won’t survive if they fon’t do what they need to do. They will go under, when that happens then what.
Rename the company, hire some good people and get to work
In the good old days, when the BIU had a President with some backbone, he would have called a General Strike. Why doesn’t he do that now and show who’s boss? No money to pay the strikers maybe? At least this time there are virtually no visitors to inconvenience.
Has the BIU been able to get their loan repaid by PHC yet. Maybe they should chase that deadbeat president of PHC for the payment.
Chris should have listed to Craig Simmons’s talk last evening. He would have learned a few lessons himself.
Wait till they get 60/40 exemption.
I wonder if people realize just how hard these guys work. I have seen it firsthand. It is a thankless job, and a hazardous one at that. This company has been making millions over the years literally by the sweat of these guy’s backs and now they’re talking about layoffs? People need to know what really goes on behind the scenes before they shoot off their mouths. Its not a easy job, but these guys do what they have to do to make sure goods reach our homes. I hope they all can reach a settlement soon.
In the old days it was hard, all manual. Today they got a machine to do every task. Take the 50% and cool out or take the unemployment line cuz once you leave the dock, there aint no alternatives out there,muh bruthas.
@ Dee I agree (husband works on the docks) all of the comments are probably from “non dock” workrrs…..more to the story……but since they don’t work there they can only go by whats reported…. so ready to cast judgement with only half a story……
Sorry. Dock workers have told me that I am a sucker for working 6 days a week. They get sick days every week, long vacation and overtime every week. It’s a laugh. this is straight from two workers mouths. Working on the Docks is a luxury. these are not my words. These guys were explaining it to me with broad smiles how they take advantage of the system.
They do NOT get overtime every week…that depends on the ships schedule and of course the weather as they do not unload in the rain…THEY (your two buddies) have sic days every week because they TAKE them (they do eventually run out if you abuse them)..As far as vacation they are allotted days according to their years of service…my hubby has been there 22 days and gets 24 days vacation per year now…There are legitimate workers (unlike your friends) who actually work as they are supposed too…can’t rely on a few bad apples like your friends….Next time you talk to them ask them whats REALLY happening on the docks…..
So Tricks are for Kids , do you think workers should get paid for hours when there is no work at all? Curious.
I can’t believe that workers, who are actually STILL employed after all of these layoffs, was offered 50% of pay to stay home on days when it was slow and DIDN’T ACCEPT!?!??! WTF is wrong with these dumb @$$ people!? Then you wonder why Bermuda is the way it is. YOU WORKERS ARE COMPLETE IDIOTS.
Suffer you greedy people.
Most of you people don”t have a clue of what is going on with the dock workers and stevedoring services,know all the facts before you run off at the mouth….When your employer talks about cutting your wages,ask him, what is comming down in Bermuda,{RENT… GAS…FOOD…MORGAGE PAYMENTS}…NO just your wages,what a shame!The dock workers gave up a day three years ago, so they are on a four day work week on a two boat week and this has been in effect for three years………..SOMETHING YOU DON”T KNOW,and there’s more………..so before you run off @ the mouth get the facts, grow some balls and fight for what you believe in.
What is coming down in Bermuda? Revenue to retailers. Sales. Imports. Number of containers at the dock. Tourist numbers. Number of IB workers. That’s what’s coming down. Everyone is going to hurt in this scenario, including (unfortunately) unionized workers. Get used to it. It is the “new normal” as the Col. said.
~thinking about this~
Less containers coming in because more businesses are closing and less Bermudians can afford to purchase things so there is less work for the dock workers.
Okay, this makes sense.
Company offers workers 50 percent of their pay for the time when they’re doing nothing and they say ‘no’.
This doesn’t make sense. Not in the slightest.
Right now there are people out there willing to take that 50 percent offered for doing nothing and put in a full days work, so exactly how can these workers justify saying no?
I’m certain there are other issues involved in the dispute, so I’m glad that it’s being sent to arbitration which is the right way to handle things.
Bulls Eye,your a liar…………..no dock worker gets sick days every week,they would be called before the committee and management for abuse of their sick time! They do not get overtime every week and as for vacation that depends on years of service………Get it right now…
Ampi, I didn’t believe a single word Bulleye wrote. No dock worker told him that. I wonder how many people putting forward their suggestions would work as hard as the dock workers do. I laughed when somebody said for Stevedoring to put out their number. You all may think any idiot can do it, but as I stated it is a hazardous job and these guys have it down to a science. You think you can go down there and start working just like that? You probably wouldn’t last a week and hopefully would make it out alive without being crushed by a container or putting other people’s lives at risk. It’s easy to run your mouth from behind a computer when you don’t know what is really happening!
Do what Ronald Regan did to the air traffic controllers. …….fire them all then hire some of the unemployed people who will be happy to accept a FAIR contract.
Mr. Furbert.
Go get some KFC and eat it on the bus!
Perhaps the BIU should be focusing on where the 2m that was “loaned out” went