The Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) has requested the support of its affiliates in the National Congress of Trade Unions as it works to resolve a dispute between itself and management of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (BCB), BCPOU president Robert Farquharson said Friday.
Mr. Farquharson said his union has already made contact with representatives of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union; the Airport, Airline and Allied Workers Union; and the Bahamas Utilities Services and Allied Workers Union.
The dispute between management and the union stems from an alleged attack by a manager at the corporation against on air personality Jamal Moss.
Staging a demonstration at the Third Terrace, Centreville head office of the BCB Friday, about 50 BCPOU members demanded that BCB management either reconsider the disciplinary action it took against the manager or face increased industrial unrest.
Describing the action taken by management as inadequate, Mr. Farquharson said the manager was suspended rather than fired for his role in the incident.
BCPOU officials were not able to verify how long the suspension was for.
"The corporation has already set a precedent that when you fight on the job you are dismissed," he said.
"We have one of our members who assaulted a manager a couple of years back and she was dismissed summarily. Why is the corporation practising a double standard? That will not be allowed to happen. We call upon Mr. Anthony Foster to immediately reverse the decision."
According to the BCPOU president, anything short of termination of the manager would not be acceptable to the union.
As part of its ultimatum, the BCPOU imposed a five oﾒclock deadline by which it required a decision from BCB management.
Speaking with the Bahama Journal late Friday afternoon, Mr. Farquharson said he had not received a response from corporation management. He indicated that he was in communication with labour minister Shane Gibson, however, whom he believed was intervening to help resolve the dispute.
During the demonstration Friday, Mr. Moss said he has already filed a police report about the alleged attack and intends to take legal action against the manager.
Also joining in the protest, other members of the BCPOU, including a number of BTC employees, said it was important for them to participate in the demonstration.
"(Mr. Moss) is one of us," said Henry Adderley of BTCﾒs network development department.
"When you hit one you hit the rest. You better believe that if that was an employee who had slapped a manager that employee was going home."
Sean Sweeting, another employee of BTC, agreed with that view.
"We donﾒt think that it was fair the way that (Mr. Moss) was treated," he said.
"He was assaulted on the job and the manager just got a slap on the wrist. We represent BTC, but that could trickle down from ZNS to BTC and go to other corporations so we have to take a stand and stop it, nip it in the bud as they say."
BCB General Manager Anthony Foster arrived at ZNS as the demonstration was about to conclude, but refused to speak with reporters who requested comment from him about the alleged attack.
Calls placed to Mr. Foster throughout the day were not returned.
BCB Chairman Calsey Johnson, meanwhile, said he did not wish to comment on the matter.
The Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) has requested the support of its affiliates in the National Congress of Trade Unions as it works to resolve a dispute between itself and management of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (BCB), BCPOU president Robert Farquharson said Friday.
Mr. Farquharson said his union has already made contact with representatives of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union; the Airport, Airline and Allied Workers Union; and the Bahamas Utilities Services and Allied Workers Union.
The dispute between management and the union stems from an alleged attack by a manager at the corporation against on air personality Jamal Moss.
Staging a demonstration at the Third Terrace, Centreville head office of the BCB Friday, about 50 BCPOU members demanded that BCB management either reconsider the disciplinary action it took against the manager or face increased industrial unrest.
Describing the action taken by management as inadequate, Mr. Farquharson said the manager was suspended rather than fired for his role in the incident.
BCPOU officials were not able to verify how long the suspension was for.
"The corporation has already set a precedent that when you fight on the job you are dismissed," he said.
"We have one of our members who assaulted a manager a couple of years back and she was dismissed summarily. Why is the corporation practising a double standard? That will not be allowed to happen. We call upon Mr. Anthony Foster to immediately reverse the decision."
According to the BCPOU president, anything short of termination of the manager would not be acceptable to the union.
As part of its ultimatum, the BCPOU imposed a five oﾒclock deadline by which it required a decision from BCB management.
Speaking with the Bahama Journal late Friday afternoon, Mr. Farquharson said he had not received a response from corporation management. He indicated that he was in communication with labour minister Shane Gibson, however, whom he believed was intervening to help resolve the dispute.
During the demonstration Friday, Mr. Moss said he has already filed a police report about the alleged attack and intends to take legal action against the manager.
Also joining in the protest, other members of the BCPOU, including a number of BTC employees, said it was important for them to participate in the demonstration.
"(Mr. Moss) is one of us," said Henry Adderley of BTCﾒs network development department.
"When you hit one you hit the rest. You better believe that if that was an employee who had slapped a manager that employee was going home."
Sean Sweeting, another employee of BTC, agreed with that view.
"We donﾒt think that it was fair the way that (Mr. Moss) was treated," he said.
"He was assaulted on the job and the manager just got a slap on the wrist. We represent BTC, but that could trickle down from ZNS to BTC and go to other corporations so we have to take a stand and stop it, nip it in the bud as they say."
BCB General Manager Anthony Foster arrived at ZNS as the demonstration was about to conclude, but refused to speak with reporters who requested comment from him about the alleged attack.
Calls placed to Mr. Foster throughout the day were not returned.
BCB Chairman Calsey Johnson, meanwhile, said he did not wish to comment on the matter.
By: Stephen Gay, The Bahama Journal
