BTUC: Balance Interests Of Business & Workers

June 20, 2017

The next Government “must establish and maintain a healthy balance between the interests of business and the interests of workers,” the BTUC said, suggesting that the next Government develop and implement measures including a living wage, workforce development plan, unemployment insurance, and cost of living adjustments for all workers.

BTUC Bermuda June 20 2017

“The Bermuda Trade Union Congress [BTUC] strongly believes that the next Government of Bermuda must establish and maintain a healthy balance between the interests of business and the interests of workers,” the BTUC said.

“For a number of years, Bermuda has been experiencing a declining Bermudian workforce, high levels of youth unemployment, wages below the low-income threshold, deteriorating quality of life due to stagnant wage growth, an increased dependency of able-bodied persons on social assistance.

“In order to tackle these issues, the BTUC is asking the next Government to adopt and commit to this agenda that will empower Bermudians as well as support and improve the lives of ALL workers in Bermuda.

The BTUC said they are calling on the next Government to develop and implement a living wage, develop a workforce development plan, address youth unemployment, institute Unemployment Insurance, establish cost of living adjustments [COLAs] for all workers, establish May 1st [International Workers Day] as an additional National Holiday, address age discrimination in employment, and reform labour and pension legislation.

The BTUC Worker Agenda 2017 is bellow [PDF here]

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Comments (22)

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  1. Joe says:

    the PLP is gonna fix everything don’t worry their magic wand is getting polished as we speak

    • Yessssii says:

      yup plp are the miracle workers for sure! what will we do without em and there friends biu/pc/btuc

      • Onion Juice says:

        Just like when U.B.P. said they will stop gun violence, help our seniors and provide 2000 jobs.
        Well gun violence is still alive (and our only double murder was under their watch), SpongeBob told our seniors that money dont grow on trees (but found $70 + Million for a sailboat race for Billionaires and a further 2000 people have lost jobs since they have been in.

        • Yes Eye says:

          Onion Juice – you do realize that gun violence peaked during the PLP years. I am no way insinuating that it was their fault. Just bring to you attention that you picked a REALLY bad example.

          $4 million for a three hour Beyonce concert was okay by you. Millions to Globalhue was okay by you. Faith Based Tourism was okay by you. But you have a problem with $60 million for AC35? We know where every penny was spent and it has given exposure that we could not have gotten elsewhere. Not to mention the hundreds of kids in the Endeavor program and those young adults racing for TEAM BERMUDA in the Red Bull race that is on right now and being broadcast around the world.

          Have you turned on the TV, checked any overseas news network, grabbed a sports or travel magazine lately? Or an overseas newspaper? Obviously not.

          Have you looked outside your window? Looked on the water, been into St. Georges, Hamilton or Dockyard lately?

          I actually can’t believe I wasted this much time on you.

        • Enough says:

          Clueless.

        • No way Jose says:

          PLP policies cost us 4000 jobs. Actually , when you consider the fact that they “created” 1000 civil service positions at a time when the economy was shrinking (just to hide this scary fact) the reality and number was far worse.

          If the OBA stopped the loss of jobs and created just one job, they won!@!@!!!!!!!!

  2. Justin says:

    I thought the PLP were suspending their election campaign today because of Shawn’s funeral?

  3. Joe Bloggs says:

    “The BTUC said they are calling on the next Government to develop and implement a living wage, develop a workforce development plan, address youth unemployment, institute Unemployment Insurance, establish cost of living adjustments [COLAs] for all workers, establish May 1st [International Workers Day] as an additional National Holiday, address age discrimination in employment, and reform labour and pension legislation.”

    And I am calling on the next Government to live within its means. I have no idea how much all of the above will cost, but if we tax people and businesses so much that the leave (as happened in 2008/2009) we will have lost jobs and will only make our debt crises even worse.

  4. Silence Do Good says:

    If the PLP get elected I wonder if the People’s Campaign (aka union leaders) will still exist and if they will go to the same measures like shutting down parliament when the government doesn’t agree with them.

    How quick the unions forget the wildcat strikes under the PLP.

    • wondering says:

      this is an astounding fact and there were just as many I might add. Lest We Forget may be inappropriate because of its common use but seriously:

      “ne obliviscamur”

  5. nerema says:

    Not one solid idea. Just a vague wishlist. Why not add a few more? Abolish disease. Make inflation stop. Reverse the aging process.

    • DanMBDA says:

      Nailed it. You forgot World Peace, end World Hunger, equal rights for all sexual orientati….wait scratch that.

  6. Up D Hill says:

    YEP,, DON`T come up with anything on your own but wait for someone else to do it for you!! Jokers!!

  7. Cowpoly says:

    Our economy is improving under the OBA – we all can see that. We need to stay too the wicket and give the OBA another term. The unions should support this. Been no reduction in the civil service, and America’s Cup has been a boost in the pockets of the workers.
    Save your wallet, vote OBA

  8. Common Sense says:

    Anyone with more sense than OJ would realize that the $70 million spent on the AC35 is a great investment and will create more money for things like education and seniors. Fishermen have to buy fuel and bait in order to make money; or they could stay at home and make nothing! AC is a better investment than Faith Based Tourism!

    • No way Jose says:

      AC35 is a better investment than Beyoncé, or Globalhue contract, Diaspora Tourism Faithbased Tourism, PGA Tournament.

      I challenge any PLP supporter to state facts showing otherwise.

      I challenge any and every PLP supporter to state how their business did worse in the last 4 years. Has the BIU membership grown or shrunk? Hmmmm ? I challenge Burt and Rubain to publically state if their business has grown or shrunk in the last 4 years becdasue of OBA policies. Mr Swan, would you be willing to have Port Royal show if lessons are up or down for you? PLP candiddates? Would any of you be willing to put up – or shut up? We know you read these forums? we wait your reply!

  9. John says:

    The BIU should balance their books and Let us see them

  10. Ringmaster says:

    I don’t see any mention of “The Unions will abide by, and adhere to, all terms and conditions of any CBA”. Seems it is still you do what we want and what the CBA says, plus whatever else we think is appropriate, but we’ll do what we want.

  11. Longtail says:

    “The next Government must establish and maintain a healthy balance between the interests of business and the interests of workers…” LOL: where is the ‘healthy balance’ in this????? All I see in this wish list is ‘gimme, gimme, gimme’.