Tuesday: Bus & Ferry Services Suspended
[Updated] Bus and ferry services will be suspended from approximately 9:30am to 12:30pm tomorrow [July 2] due to a BIU membership meeting.
A Transport Ministry spokesperson said, “Please be advised that the Bermuda Industrial Union [BIU] has called a Membership Meeting for Tuesday, July 2nd at 10 a.m. at the Seventh Day Adventist Church Hall, King Street, Hamilton. As a result, bus and ferry services will be suspended from approximately from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.”
Updated 1.43pm [July 2]: Following the Bermuda Industrial Union [BIU] membership meeting held this morning at the Seventh Day Adventist Church Hall on King Street, Government services appear to be resuming normal operations.
A call placed to the Public Transportation’s dispatch office at approximately 1.30pm confirmed buses have resumed normal scheduled service. The ferry terminal in Hamilton have also confirmed service has returned to normal and garbage collection has been seen taking place in the east end.
Lets see who is in charge,the unions or the govt!
This is a bunch of BS. The BIU is garbage. Summer is at its peak and this the best the BIU could come up with? You forget we are providing a service to tourist. The BIU makes absolutely no sense. Have the meeting during a time that won’t impact services.
They wouldn’t be able to have a meeting during non-working hours… no one would attend
So it’s better to cut off ferry and bus service during the peak of summer because workers are too lazy to attend a meeting that is somewhat very important during non working hours? That’s typical union mentality.
So they couldn’t have two meetings and split the attendance so that no services wouldn’t be interrupted? Your telling me that thought was put into the meeting?
Bottom line is this: the public and tourist shouldn’t have to pay for the laziness and archaic union mentality of members of the BIU and the BIU itself.
I hate to say it but the union has always been in charge of the running of this Island .
That is before Black People got smart again and united. Before that the Oligarchy was in charge and still are in a way.LOL
Seriously, THIS IS A JOKE. It has nothing to do with the Union matters, this is a political statement, and the unions laughing at our ELECTED government. Craig, sort this out mate, stamp on that idiot who shares my name, bring Bermuda out of the 1970s.
Well obvously you are not unionised so you will not understand how a Union is run. Seems like you will love for us to be back in that slavery mentatlity. I am glad for my union because with out the BPSU, BIU, BUT we will all be slaves.
United We Stand Divided We Fall.
haha your so blinded… you pay union fees!!! Whos the real slave and slave master???
Think outside the box!
Ha Ha! Union fees are covered by working a weekend not to mention sick pay vacation pay, maternity pay , paternity pay etc, etc not bad for a SLAVE. LOL
Furbert is not spelled that way you little dumb F_ _ _!
Here we go again. Makes no sense. Why can’t they meet at 5 p.m.? It is all part of the sacrifice. But then again they don’t give good service even when on the job. Privatize the whole service.
@ Out of Flight looks like your begging for work. Hope you did not vote for the OBA they where the ones that made this promise that bermudians will be employed. Also privitization is not all good either it just means you will make less for doing more and be the real slave they want.
Think before you Speak
Privatization will provide value for money and improve working mentality. The employees can always put in a collective bid for the work and share the profits from all their hard work.
Don’t pay them for going to this meeting. If the country keeps paying for these meetings, they will keep increasing all the time. Can see it now, there is a new 2 inch deep pot hole just after Somerset Bridge, lets have a meeting.
Agree! Something needs to be done about this. This is tourist season! Time for the Government to stop this BIU nonsense.
I wonder if the present gov have he balls to go after the B.I .U.
They need a meeting about Somerset Bridge… Last time I went over it, it didn’t look like it could open… Therefore it is no longer the worlds smallest working draw bridge…
I agree. why should be paid for inconvenincing tourists and working class people who need public transport.
Sick of Chris Furbert and these spare of the moment meetings! Cut all pay for day and inform them their pay checks will be cut permanently due to this nonsense. Annoying me again!
I make my statement by not supporting anything BIU anymore. I would rather run out of gas and push my truck, car or bikes past their gas station than give them a penny.
Sick of this BS. Embarrassed to be Bermudian. You would never see this type of selfish behavior anywhere else in the world.
“You would never see this type of selfish behavior anywhere else in the world.” Please read something other than the local daily and broaden your extremely limited perspective.
Selfishness and stupidity are not exclusively Bermudian at all!!
Fur bit you won’t be happy until you see Bermuda going down the drain, WILL YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Furbert , needs the power to get payed his salary , and he could are less about you idiots that are paying your union dues !!!!!!!!!!!you members need to check out where your dues are going !!!!!!!!!
My dues , BIU building, gas station, property, theatre, benefits that that are envied around the world. Do I need to say more. LOL
How do these benefit you or other members? The theatre loses money, as does the BIU co-op as well as the now defunct grocery store. (And all the commentors seem to think grocery stores make a killing, so you’d have to be some kind of incompetent to lose money right?). The gas station only makes money because it exists in a price controlled monopolistic environment.
It would help to see the audited financial statements for the BIU. Where are they anyway? I hear they’ve got FOUR accountants working there. What do they do all day?
Do it before or after hours people!
This is the height of our tourist season! What are you all smoking?
Why do you continue to bite the hand the feeds us? Whose ultra wisdom continues to guide you to bite that hand?
Do you really care about Bermuda or your jobs? The hand has slapped us a few times already…we don’t need any more slaps!
Fed up with you lot!
P.S. In the private sector you would have been fired many slaps ago!
I hope that the UNION is paying these peoples wages while they attend this meeting. Was’nt it agreed by union and govt. that the pay cut was OK,if so, why waste time with meetings. In the long run , who suffers between the hours of 9:30 am and 12:30 pm, the elderly that depend on this form of transport. The last time Mr. Furbert pulled a stund like this (last July, bus drivers wemt to a meeting) an elderly woman tryid to walk home, no buses, fell, because of the heat and broke two ribs. Well done Chris.
Sorry…not even an hour! Someone needs to understand that you guys run a service to locals and tourist alike! They rely on you to pick up and drop off on a timely manner! Just wait until public transportation becomes privatized! What will you do? No where to run to have an extended break! I’ve had enough!
You think the Union only has a hold over the government sector???
I have to get work you idiot! Why do you call these ridiculous meetings every month. Just to piss off the public. I hope we get rid of the UNION. I will be one happy person if this government found a way to scrap this tired of an excuse to waste the publics time. There should be only so many meetings a year. Not every bloody month.
Catch a taxi IDIOT. LOL
only in this backwards country would they suspend public transportation to call a meeting. Couldnt do it on a saturday or sunday mind you. have to inconvenience the masses to support the few. Why does this country continue to stand for idiots like this???
Seventh Day Hall ???????
What’s wrong with the BIU building?
Maybe the will make it mandatory to get Saturdays of as well.
Disgusting!!!!
OBA, please stand strong we voted you in for a change, and we have had enough of the B.I.U. RUNNING bERMUDA!!!!!!!!! It is time for you to take charge of this Island.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo……….!
Absolutely unacceptable. Chris Furbert and the union won’t be happy until they have COMPLETELY destroyed our tourism industry…the union needs to go, and soon.
In the meantime, either make bus/ferry “services” essential services and thus illegal to suspend ‘service’ or privatize the LOT.
Really?!?!?
OBA you NEED to stand up and do something. Chris Furb is DESTROYING this island.
You do realize 99% of the people who will attend this meeting see this meeting as time off and NOT time to “talk” about issues.
The UNION IS STUPID!!!! All the do is B**ch and complain. THEY ARE THE PROBLEM!
End this union once and for all. This has gotten ridiculous. Fire all bus drivers not attending their appointed routes and fire all ferry crew not reporting to work. Stop this nonsense right now! If you’re not going to work, you don’t deserve the job. Period. Take a hike, Chris.
Erats plan is working well.
Mark my words evil hands are at work.
By any means necessary.
That’s another story.
I’m curious to understand whether the union agreements covering essential services like transportation allow for frequent work stoppages such as this, or whether they are purely acting outside of the agreement every time they do this. If it is allowed in the agreement, who were the fools that agreed to this, if it is outside the agreement, is there not some mechanism to fine the union? What are shop stewards for – aren’t they supposed to raise and discuss issues with smaller groups of union members to give feedback to the “leadership” without screwing the public every-time? If there was some real worker injustice that could not be resolved through the proper channels I would understand the consequences, but this again has the hallmarks of completely inept or completely wicked “leadership” on the part of the BIU.
Look all you sick people if you dont know whats going on the just shout up you talk all the crap you talk but is the OBA trying to cut your pay 15%no cause you people are sitting on your fat a..es getting a nice big fat check and not caring about your fellow Bermudians we cant aford what your OBA is trying to do to us if we are all in this together what are you going about it
How about you go complain about your 15 percent pay cut to all those people in the private sector that lost their jobs over the last couple of years.
Bet he is not complaining about the big drop in rent he enjoys.
The drop in rent makes it worse if you have a mortgage on your house and are now renting out the bedrooms for less and a potential paycut. More homes will be foreclosed upon.
Private sector and public sector both have their advantages. When the economy is good private sector employees make significantly more than the equivalent public sector employees and those that are still employed in private sector still make more than their public sector counterparts although the gap is not as wide now.
On the other hand while public sector employees make signifcantly less in times of economic growth they generally have better job security when the economy slows.
Actually it is a meeting tomorrow for B.I.U. members. Today the teachers met and Wednesday the B.P.S.U. will meet. It is concerning a proposal from government for all unions to ask their members to work 1 (one) day a month without pay.
Most of the spare capacity in cruising is on the w coast of usa; and Atlantic and Caribbean are blessed with anything left over. Who is responsible for this Bermuda hiccup? And is that person/group devoid of responsibility for putting bread on the table?
You self centered people have gone and lost your dam mind. Sounding so Silly. What about the amount of Bermudian’s jobs that could be affected by by this meeting. It’s obviously important. If you knew what you were talking about you would know that this meeting is the result of an OBA decision against Bermudian’s jobs idiots!!!!!!!!And the B.I.U protects us people that have to pick you for work every morning..
if its that important do it after hours. im sure if their jobs were on the line they would not mind.
“That have to pick you for work every morning”
THATS THEIR JOB!!!! They aren’t doing ANYONE a favor, they are doing what they get PAID TO DO.
Until any working person in Bermuda realizes that we will continue to suffer. DO YOUR JOB AND DO IT GOOD! Stop lookin for handouts.
What about after hours, split meetings, like they do everywhere else around the world. Stopping work for a “meeting” is the same as a strike!
The union in principle is a good thing but when the power of the union is abused it tends to be counterproductive.
but whyyy tho
this meeting is lookin like chicken but smellin like fish
If they feel so strongly that they need to have these meetings during working hours. Then they shouldn’t be paid for the time their off the job. The BIU are just showing that they will do what they want when they want. There aren’t any Government Ministers or officials with the backbone to stand up to these tyrants.
This is pure Bu** Sh**. It is purely not acceptable. I would like to find out if a class action law suit could be taken out against the union leader. We all know that if you did it after normal hours no one would attend. I for one am fed up with this cr**. Furbutt has to go and be replaced with someone who can think ( use of more than 1 brain cell ). I will find some way that we the public can pull the same disruptive sh** on the union. I am going to speak with a lawyer. you kill my island and thus me and all the others are affected well your turn will come
it is a sad day for Bermuda…. to think that the Union calls the shots as to how Bermuda is being run……the amount of tourist on the Island now will remember how their bus and ferry passes were none and void !!!!!!!as of tomorow !!!!!!!for God’s sake please O.B.A take charge of this Island !!!!!! we have had enough of the Union calling the shots……
You self centered people have gone and lost your mind. Sounding so Silly. What about the amount of Bermudian’s jobs that could be affected by by this meeting. It’s obviously important. If you knew what you were talking about you would know that this meeting is the result of an OBA decision against Bermudian’s jobs idiots!!!!!!!!And the B.I.U protects us people that have to pick you for work every morning..
Nobody’s saying not to have a meeting. What people are saying is that this is tourist season and we need every tourist dollar we can get! You think tourists are going to return to a place where they can’t even get around without having to pay taxi rates? Have the meeting at a time when less tourists are travelling, like in the evening.
There are no cruise ship in on Sundays.. have your meetings then!!!! Transport is an essential service, how can the union withdraw services without the required notice?
No issue with the purpose of the meeting, just the chosen time frame of the meeting. I am sure a better adjusted time could be picked out with a better forewarning to the public then the less then 24 hours given for this meeting.
Agreed. Not the best time for the meeting.
When you piss off tourists and more hotels close you’ll be wringing your hands and blaming the OBA and the world economy. But it will have been you and Furbert who drove the tourists away and created more Bermudian unemployment.
Blame the PLP for spending so much when they were in power
Fire every single last one of them. Ask he BIU for hte bond, and if they don’t pay, sue tthem into oblivion.
Then open the floodgates back up to abuse of the workforce thus reverting back 30 – 40 years? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like the abuse of power by the union either.
Back in the bad old days when unemployment was zero? Is that what you’re talking about?
Actually look up when was the last time the island’s unemployment was at one of it’s all time lows. You may be surprised it wasn’t as far back as you may think & may also be surprised that the union was alive, well & kicking at that time.
So they need to change the labour aft to reduce the hold of the union.. Chris will be the death of this island
Hey, what if we all block the road and don’t let home get to jos meeting!!!
Sounds like oligarchy talk to me. LOL
Perfect timing, wait for the negatives to follow this article from the tourists.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/experience/cruise/destinations/bermuda/2013/07/01/kings-wharf-bermuda-port-guide/2430741/
I am not surprised at the reaction of the posters on this site even thought I believe that the announcement from the government could have read differently.
The fact of the matter is that all government workers (Bermuda Industrial, Bermuda Public Services Union, Bermuda Police Association, Bermuda Fire Service Association, Bermuda Union of Teachers) will have met, or be meeting with the respective memberships during the next week or so to report progress on the ongoing negotiations with the Government negotiating team. The BUT already met last week Friday.
The government is informing the public as the bus service and ferry service directly affects the general public more than other public services.
What’s the problem? Would you all have preferred that no announcement was made? Grow up people!!
You can’t report progress through an email? Through mail? Through mouth? You can’t give a week notice? Please, give me a break!
LaVerne, you want US to grow up???? Really, you are asking us to grow up, LOL Give me a break!
No do it on a sunday… when you inconvenience the least number of people… like the but did after normal school hours…
Hey Verne, will you let us know when the police withdraw their services for 3 hours while they shuffle off to a meeting?
mmm! I must say i beleive some unions can be good! How ever this one is holding all of us bermudians ramson ! Laws need to be made to only allow meetings to take place in the evenings and stagerd where only a maximum of 25 percent of members can attend at once ! Giving the unionised and the general population fair game! Thumbs up those that agree !
Well done Ms.furbert, i hope all these dummies say the same thing on wednesday when all civil servants have their meetnig at 10:00am or next week when prison officers hold their meeting or on the 16th of july when all police officers are required to attend a similar meeting. As a matter of fact, all unionized workers willhold similar meetings in the coming weeks.
I think the main issue here is the timing of the meeting and the amount of notice given.
Is the short notice due to the BIU not informing the Govt. in a timely manner or the Govt. not informing the public?
It does feel like the BIU has a tendency to meet/strike/walkout on a monthly basis.
Or maybe the unions could do what they do everyplace else. Have the meeting in the evening or on a weekend when it won’t disrupt the public (or the tourists or at least what’s left of them)
If the government had proposed this work one day for free proposal before the tourist season kicked into full gear we wouldn’t have this disruption. Total lack of forsight by the minister or ministers involved.How much money do they plan on saving ? How long will this be implemented? Does this include fulltime and partime workers? My suggestion to the government is to allow gaming if they are truly in this type of money crunch.Workers need all the money that they are making in this economic climate. Food costs rising , electricity cost rising , gas,importation of products rising, childcare and many more costs rising eg healthcare. Why take from the workers that are finding it hard to survive in Bermuda. Guest Workers occupying menial jobs eg cashers,potwashers,window cleaners, packers etc should be expelled from these jobs. Gaming can provide us with revenue if done correctly for education, sports, and help to revive our hotel industry.I wonder if the gov wish to weaken the unions to diminish its supporters in order to allow foreign cheaper workers to take over as bus drivers and taxi operators and into the civil service . More production at cheaper cost without interference from unions.
Bernews must have the most immature group of bloggers in the world!!
I think you meant to say Bermuda Immature Union.
thats why u post
Talking about yourself again?
no laverne you are just immature and you never speak you unfriendly pee l pee diehard fan.
I agree with you about her unfriendliness, but apples don’t fall to far from the tree. Many of the BIU and PLP are that way. Trust me, I rub shoulders with them every day. O the hate!!
Just as much hate as I’m reading the blogs. Talking about living in a glass and throwing stones. LOL
You are a total coward
I feel so sorry for all the people I know are going to be stranded at a bus top tomorrow! I will do my part and offer them a ride but they should def change the meeting time.
Come on OBA you were voted with a belief you would deal with the bad stuff as well as the good, it’s about time you got these radicals under control
Yup, thsts what the Oba is about, control. Anytime a group stands up for themselves they are looked at as rude and disrespectful. Sad to say but we still have house *$#%s out there !!!
I think she meant the Union radicals you racist, intolerant piece of sh*t…
You need a lesson in politics junior or at least open your eyes and see what’s going on in the real world, we have a bonded agreement with the BIU and that bonded agreement simply put gives the country a guarentee against unwarranted acts of industrial action, this agreement has nothing whatsoever to do with any person or group “standing up for themselves” it has has Been broken many many times and its time the Goverment put the political foot down to stop this country being held to ransome by a bunch of militants and radicals who feel they know what’s best for Bermuda, we go through this idiotic scenereo very summer as we watch the posturing as they BIU listen and act on their stuck in 1975 “leaders” wishes. The unions are getting smaller and less effective and as a result are behaving irrational to try and maintain a foothold in the workplace and that’s a really bad strategy
You tell us now for tomorrow?!? You all need to get the thumb out of you all’s a**es and sort things out….like now!! We the general public are tired of this str8 up BS!!!
Its your govts fault,. The Biu has to have permission to hold this meeting, and cabinet has to give it. They have known for at least two weeks !!!
Doesn’t take 3 hours and all the staff to get this simple message out.
Take the “BLINDERS” off Laverne. Smh
Most other unions in other countries give you plenty of notice, remember the BA cabin strikes. This is so people can make other arrangements, not in Bermuda. The BIU acts like a dictatorship, as nobody seems to want to try to upset them. Come on OBA, go and read a Regan on Thatcher biography and get a grip of the situation.
If you crazy people would just stop running your mouth and listen to whats going on in your counrty you would see why this has to take place grow up people what the Union stands for is all of the workers of Bermuda it not about Chris Furbert its about us
A union gets the public support when it works with the public, not against it.
Correction it don’t get White public support, only in Bermuda!!!!!!!!
no it aint
protecting those that show up for a pay check but only put in half the work hours
The Union and it’s members are living in the World of Make Believe!!!!!!!
This 1 day a month without pay has been instituted in the private sector by many employers ages ago.
It’s a very simple concept and does not require all the staff to be out at the same time to comprehend.
Ready. I’ll explain.
1. Take a day off without pay once every month.
2. All workers keep their jobs.
1a. Don’t take 1 day off without pay once every month.
2a. Someone loses their job.
Reason? Simple. To pay all a full wage every month is untenable at this present time.
We and you,the people are not putting enough money in and with less people working it makes sense that this is the case.
Take your pick.
3 hour gathering averted.
Oh! Sorry, forgot there’s other “Stuff” to talk about. Sic.
the cruise leaves at 5pm do it sometime after or sat when there is no ship in.
I thought things where getting better… Sigh!!!!!!!!
Really…..so I guess this will really do our tourism industry good…what happened to having certain percentage of people attend while others drive their buses…they all in each others pockets so will have the scoop…
tell the bank that when you cant pay them back tell belco that when you cant pay your bills like i said its for all of us Goverment and none govermet workers we have to take a stand and now is the time United we stand if not we will fall
We are all in this together, that’s for sure. To get out of it we have to work together. The private sector has been seeing pay decreases for the last 5 years, and many layoffs. Construction guys are hurting, some of them are lucky to get 1 day a week, yet they still pay their taxes. Government has only two real choices right now, unless it wants to start paying everyone with IOUs in the not too distant future. Just think of the people who are going to lose a day’s pay tomorrow, as they can’t afford a taxi, and did not have enough time to organize a lift.
You forgot that it was this very government that gave out huge pay raises just earlier this year??? A few took a $10,000 pay cut but more got even larger pay increases, so how did that save us money?
be a RESPONSIBLE union that acts and instills a proper work ETHIC and I may agree until then,
The BIU has no work ethic… You have a no brainer telling no brainers what to do. One head with no brain telling the followers to follow.
BIU one of the most respected Unions In the Caribbean and in the western region for the last 60 years or so . No brainer LOL
Fred, you are not thinking. There is no money! Your beloved PLP spent it, and now the country is poor and can’t afford the entire payments to the civil service. Did you know that nearly 72 cents of every dollar earned by the government goes to government salaries? That means 28 cents of every dollar goes to other payments and they have to borrow over 300 million to pay the rest. Thank you PLP representatives. If something is not done now, then you and everyone else soon will not have anything, and if you don’t believe me, travel to Haiti and Jamaica to name just two. They were once rich, and now they are scratching were it doesn’t itch. We were once rich with no debt, now we are nearly 2.4 billion in debt, meaning that with a population of 60 thousand, each of us are 40 thousand in debt. Countries in the world are now passing legislation to go into the publics bank accounts to be able to pay the national debt. Their are countries now with 40 to 50 % unemployment due to national debt. Wake up Fred and Mr Furbert before it is really to late. Just take a look at the documentary, Life and Debt, how Jamaica got into the situation they are in, it might wake you and your fellow union diehearts up to reality.
Wasn’t the performance bond excused as the Biu promised no wildcat strikes?
OBA and Premier Cannonier,grow some testicles.
Muggy, this isn’t a wildcat strike.
then what is it when you withdraw labour in breach of a collective agreement and in breach of the law (in this case as an essential service)? The reason for the withdrawal doesnt matter – if the union all stopped working to go to a funeral or to a birthday party its as much a strike as if they were going to a meeting.
Govenrment is aware of any early cllosures pertaining to this…..It is THEIR proposal that is being presented….ao ALL bases are covered..NOT A Strike…..
sorry – but i am afraid you are wrong – did they withdraw their labour? yes! is it legal? no! thats a wildcat strike – its really that simple
They need to be more productive and work a full day. It took 3 weeks, at least 9 workers to cut the wall back at Paget stoplights. Something that a normal 3 men crew, (machine operator, truck driver and someone to help) would do in two days. Every day they sat to 9:30 waiting for the traffic to subside, as usual no planning, they could of used Whitesands back road and continued to work. The total Public works is unproductive and no proper supervision. That is because the supervisors are body, body with the crews. I have seen improvement with the grass cutting now, and it is good to hear that it is because they are using prisoners on day release. They need to privatize the entire public works and agriculture sections. This is the only way I can see ones being productive and worth the funding spent.
furbert means nothing to me,he’s a has been,a dinosaur.
I hope those people that have cars and mini buses help those that dont.
I have already arranged to pick up some people and get them to work.
@fred…It’s time to start making sense, son. Get your head outta the sand.
Bermuda is finished anyways. The BIU will make sure the job is done this time. Congratulations on harming your fellow Bermudians who make their living from the tourist industry.
Guess its not so united we stand after all.
Again well played BIU.
god bless this new government for having the future in mind and bringing in the rented ferry with out unionised workers they will be our salvation this summer! To chris enjoy some kfc!
Yes because that ONE ferry will keep Bermuda running smoothly……
better than u running or i running visitors up and down on a single seat moped ! Give credit to the foresite they had ! Friends and family from previous administration will make a killing with mini buses and limo service poor taxi drivers let then continue to dissappear into bank ruptcy sold mine 13 years ago had sonesta plus many others and found it hard to keep afloat gov taxes is and has been bad and unfair for them !maybe it is a way to push for privitation of public service that why craig is nothing more than a figure head ! I hope not! But by allowing this to continue it is just that ! Let the opposition do the new administrations dirty work !
Like the radical colonial oligarchy descendents
Are the management not capable of attending the meeting, then relaying the information to their staff without disrupting an essential service??
I think you mean Shop Stewards, but point taken.
OK BIU CLOWNS ENOUGH IS ENOUGH WE ALL NO WHAT GOES ON BEHIND CLOSE DOORS . MONIZ DATS WHAT U ALL THINK
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u all puttin de men on pressure dont be surprise wen he backfires LMAO
HAVE A WONDERFUL MEETIN NEXT ……………..
i have tried to understand this but cant quite figure it out. I think i agree but cant be sure
Truly the end of Bermuda is nigh. What foolishness is this? Already tourists are fed up with Bermuda what with the news full of murders, stabbings, shootings and they are asking if it is safe to come here. And now we have tourists here and they can’t get a bus or a ferry for a morning and what are they supposed to do if they can’t rent a bike. And for what?
If the Government doesn’t get a grip soon it will be same old, same old with Bermuda going down the swanee.
Clearly being a unionised govt worker is much better than being in the private sector. It is a service industry where the customers come last.
Come on OBA grow a pair. That’s what you were voted in to do. Declare transport an essential service. Put the process in motion to privatize transport, public works & sanitation.
Enough of the BIU & wildcat strikes.
Simply ridiculous.
We should contract more foreign ferries – bus drivers too.
Just like foreign workers in the hotels who can’t tell you where to go and what to do on the island. LOL
This sounds so asinine to stop all busses and ferries from running. Why the BIU can’t send out leaflets to all its members to inform them what’s going on?
If I was one of the 5,000 or so visitors who had shelled out several thousand moolahs for my family vacation and arrived to find no services, not only would I not come back, I’d be telling my friends not to too. So it is not only about a couple hundred thousand of revenue lost this morning, it is also about many future millions of revenue too – all because Furbert, Burgess, Bean et al are a bunch of spoiled brats who resent the democratically elected Government of this country. Premier, here is your chance to call the bluff and secure Bermuda for future generations.
Privatize transport services., include Tcd et al.
Considering that the 400 passenger Millennium Ferry is leased with some non Bermudian staff, will it continue to operate during this meeting?
Also, it absolutely baffles me that Laverne Furbert does not think that the timing of the meeting is inconvenient. The people blogging on this website are not complaining about the fact that there is a meeting, the issue at hand is the fact that ‘BIU’ bus and ferry meetings are always held at a time when people are most inconvenienced, and furthermore with our tourism product in the gutter, the BIU and some of its members continue year after year to tarnish the country’s image. This meeting time is idiotic. Laverne must be pretending to not see that this is the main complaint.
Why can’t BIU meetings be held at 6:30pm?
I drive the bus and I feel sorry for the locals and the tourists, I don’t know why they calling a meeting when the ship is leaving at 5 …So that means there day is wasted. Chris your a big dreamer that can’t talk and ya sinking this island down the drain!! Just wanna say if people is out there that can help by moving people around, that would be nice of you!! On my behalf and the other bus drivers that do wanna work!! SORRY BERMUDA AND SOORY TO THE TOURIST FOR THE B.S
As a BIU member you need to take your dues and give it to charity loose all your benefits your for fathers sacrificed and fought for . You are pathetic
Cannonier,grow some balls.
I totally agree the government needs to get a grip on this situation but surrely the PLP ought to be commenting that this type of behaviour is not acceptable – this type of damaging action needs condemnation from both Government and opposition.
Why? BIU PLP, same animal, different limbs, same head.
Oba/ubp ,chamber of commerce ,Employers Council same animal
Once again, Chris F is the most selfish person in this country, and all you who suppoprt him dont care about anything about yourself too. We have had enough of your sh*t Furbit.
Where are the demands for apologies from people now? Somehow I get the feeling if Grant Gibbons (for example) had been in Furbit’s place we would have seen demands for apologies and people marching to Parliament.. This country make me laugh..
Here’s some food for thought,
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/nyregion/striking-school-bus-drivers-criticize-new-york-city-over-impasse.html?_r=0
http://allafrica.com/stories/201304191031.html
http://www.nzbus.co.nz/news-from-nzbus/bus-services-suspended-from-thursday-october-8
http://news.stv.tv/tayside/250782-bus-drivers-wildcat-strike-over-investigation-into-colleague-brings-dundee-to-a-halt/
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/7220372/Commuter-chaos-looms-on-buses
So for all you negative people who love to bad mind Bermudians put up or shut up. I’m personally sick and tired of reading ‘ONLY IN BERMUDA’
Why can’t you people just comment on the article without bad minding Bermudians?
Because the negative people are colonialist minded and the Union majority are black , same s—- different ERA
I am positive now that the negative commenters who always say only in Bermuda are just plain and simply bad minded people who are always looking for a reason to try and bring down Bermuda. If you haters of Bermuda were smart you would know that what happens in Bermuda happens elsewhere as well.
I am glad that the unions challenge Government as they (the Gov.) waste money all the time and in the end the people always suffer.
The Premier and his cabinet allegedly took a 10% pay cut when they first came into office. In my view he’s just as bad as the PLP. I say this because a 10% pay cut for them is a drop in the bucket and means absolutely nothing to them.
When you take 5 or 10% from a person making $6,000 or less per month they will no doubt feel it more. The Premier and the Governor and any other persons whose living rent free don’t have to worry about gas, room and board. But the little man does and he has to do it all with a lousy meaningless pay cheque.
So when Gov. wants to talk about cutting the little man’s pay who’s already having a hard time then what do you expect for them to do? Just say oh ok no problem. When you cut his pay the bread and box of cereal don’t get cut.
You people need to stop and think for a second and stop bad minding Bermuda and its people because I am willing to bet that most of the negative reporters on this website aren’t even Bermudian.
Why didn’t they challenge when the PLP put forward their pay cut plan? Why did the Union simply say ‘OK’ despite the fact the promised Parliamentary pay cut was never enforced and less than what the OBA has instituted on its MPs?
This act is all about politics, period.
No one is bad minding Bermuda, but the decision of the Union to disrupt the lives of the locals and tourists alike. Those acts tarnish Bermuda’s reputation as a tourism destination and that is more ‘bad minding’ of Bermuda than the complaints of the tax paying public. And what about all the children (and their parents), who are now out on summer leave, that rely on public transportation? Do you guys not care about them? What about the Bermudians who rely on what little bit of tourism we have left for their livelihoods? Do they not count in your eyes?
I am part of several local organizations and I do not have the benefit of attending any scheduled meeting during working hours.
People are tired of paying their taxes and being inconvenienced at the drop of a hat and for ridiculous reasons. This time might not be a ridiculous reason, but the prior “meetings” and downing of tools in respect to certain government employees behaving badly have left a sour taste in the mouths of many. Something that many wish to ignore when arguing against people who are simply fed up with these occurences.
or is it truth hurts and I am Bermudian!
Well said truth seeker! Well said…..
@ Truth Seeker I am Glad some one can finally come on here and explain what is really going on. We Bermudians will not stand for nor tolerate being Dictated by this Government. So let the War begin.
How do you go about catching a mini bus ?
Call the number and They will pick you up, Depending where you at.
I agree with truth seeker. Why doesn’t gov take a serious pay cut themselves. I’ve been made to understand that cabinet members make around $16,000 per month. Why not cut their own pay down to like $9,000 per month saving taxpayers around $85,000 per year for each member. Why not cut the Governors pay which I’m told is around $22,000 per month. Why does he need all that money? He lives in a house maintained by the taxpayers money. What a waste. His pay can be cut down to like $10,000 saving the taxpayer around $150,000 per year. Why does the Premier need an official residence? Who pays the light bill for him? I’ve been told he gets about $20,000 per month. This is madness. And you worrying about the small man while there are people being paid using the people’s money outrageous wages who are seemingly going untouched. You all who Agee with continually taking from the poor/small man leaving the rich well off big man alone need your heads examined.
What about the Bankers, Retailers, Wholesalers et al who are making millions in profits.
Never mind.
And don’t say they worked hard for it. That’s a no brainer.
Do they get paid for the hours that they are at meetings like this or striking?? I wonder how much money is lost from loss of revenue in ticket/token sales? Especially when it is high tourist season.
This just reinforces the need for privatization of the Bus and Ferry services. Both operate at a loss, drive us further into debt. The staff are overpaid and there are too many of them.
There seems to be no regards or responsibility for the value of a job within certain sectors of the civil service.
We cannot continue to spoon feed people work and overpay them with tax $$, it is borderline socialism and we don’t have the money to do it for any longer. 70% of Government revenues go to paying the civil service. So next time you are charged duty or payroll tax, just think that the majority of it is going to that bus or ferry driver so they can do as they please.
Pay people who actually want to work.
The Biu putting our jobs in jeopardy.
It’s because of the BIU you make the wages you have, vacation pay , sick pay etc,etc,etc. LOL
So if the buses run 7 days a week from 6 in the am till midnight and till 11 Sundays when is it a “convenient” time to have these meetings. I read all the posts above and many commented that the private sector doesn’t hold meetings during work hours and these workers have to do it on their own time. Those people must live under a rock. This site and other media outlets have to be honest and post the headline properly, that govt/oba have presented all workers with a proposal that cuts their time and pay and these meetings are being held to inform the membership/govt workers of this. You all commented that this has tarnished Bermudas reputation but don’t realize that your blogs on here are doing Bermuda more severe damage than any disruption in service. Some of you state that Bermuda is “finished”. How will that be viewed by a potential tourist. Lastly many of you are calling for them to be fired and be privatized. If you knew anything you would know that would send our economy in a tailspin. There are several meetings with other unions over the next couple of days and I hope these negative comments stop and you take time to understand what’s going on.
Muzumbo you are a joke because it was the people who stood behind the biu that brought change to this country and to honest the union needs a new leader and Chris & Laverne must go before they destroy a good thing
Museum You are a joke because it was people who stood behind the biu that brought change to this country and to be honest the needs new a new leader and Christ & Laverne must go before they destroy a good thing