NIB Chairman Philip “Brave” Davis told reporters that while intensive negotiations took place in six months, talks were held in a peaceful environment.
“I am pleased to be able to say that negotiations were held in a cordial and cooperative atmosphere, a sure sign of maturing working relations,” he said.
“This allowed negotiations to be completed over a short period of time and without the antagonism and confrontations which too often attend union/management talks.”
The agreement covers June 1, 2004 to May 31, 2009. It has all of the provisions of the old contract with a number of improvements in areas like paternity leave, pre-retirement, travel allowances and salary increases, according to Mr. Davis.
For example, paternity leave in the old contract amounted to one week at full pay. Under the new contract, a married male is entitled to a two-week leave every three years with pay once his wife is confined.
Mr. Davis announced that a pre-retirement leave, which was previously only available to management, will now be extended to the bargaining unit.
Persons who travel for the Board will also receive an increase in their spending allowance from $70 a day to $80.
To cope with the rising cost of fuel, employees who drive for the Board will receive a hike in gas allowance from $250 to $500 per month.
Mr. Davis also explained that there is an addition to the contract that is sensitive to the rising cost of living expenses.
“This new article provides that there will be a one-time payment if the change in the retail price index for New Providence, as compiled by the Department of Statistics, exceeds five per cent between the anniversary dates of the agreement,” he said.
“The payment will be the percentage increase in excess of five per cent to a maximum payment of five per cent of the employeeﾒs annual basic salary.”
In addition, the five-year agreement also includes $3,000 lump sum payments total in the first and second years, and nine per cent increases in total added to employee salaries in the third, fourth, and fifth years.
The Board will also introduce a Performance Management System, which will recognize the performance improvements and accomplishments of employees.
Union President Donald McKenzie said he hopes that the successful negotiations between the Board and the union will prove to other unions that agreements could be met without conflict.
“All in all the negotiations went very well and I know that it would be an example to those unions who are putting their contracts on the table and it could be done without any fight,” he said.
“Management was very receptive and fair; they gave and they took and the union did the same.”
By: Kendea Jones, The Bahama Journal
