Education Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin has welcomed the decision by the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) whose members have decided to forgo threatened industrial action and return to the classrooms.
“Well, I don’t want to get into the internal politics of the union, but I know as the Minister of Education I am very pleased that teachers will be in the classroom. Next week, the children of this nation will return to school fully face-to-face and we can begin to stabilize education in this country,” Hanna-Martin said.
BUT President Belinda Wilson said that teachers were reviewing the final draft of their full industrial agreement and were completing a few details.
Last month, the BUT informed teachers that they should be prepared for industrial action on August 22 following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum given to the government to sign off on a full industrial agreement with the union.
The government recently signed a new industrial agreement with the Bahamas Educators Managerial Union and Bahamas Educators, Counsellors and Allied Workers Union.
Hanna Martin said she is aware that negotiations have been ongoing and that at least two other unions have completed their negotiations.
“So, I don’t know what has led to the prolonged one with BUT in particular, but the bottom line is that the whole purpose of what we all are doing is to advance education in The Bahamas. Whatever we do to get there should be done expeditiously, but I certainly don’t know what the dynamics were in negotiations over that period of years.”
But President said that she was pleased with the member’s involvement in the negotiations, noting that approximately 800 attended a meeting last Sunday.
“As you are aware we voted in high numbers to take industrial action Monday, August 22, 2022, the first day of school for teachers,” she said, adding “however, within the past four days have been at the table on Thursday, August 18, 2022…and the numerous communications between the government negotiators and the Bahamas Union of Teachers negotiating team, in light of the progress made, you, the members, have decided to forgo industrial action.
“As you are also aware, we are reviewing the final draft of our full industrial agreement and we (are) completing a few details and should be completed with a view to signing a new industrial agreement for all of the members of the Bahamas Union of Teachers from Grand Bahama to Inagua. We expect to sign in short order,” she added.
Source-CMC
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