National

BTC Workers Take Grievances to the Streets

Tensions ran high outside BTC’s Poincanna Building, as union members representing both management and line staff staged what they called a long-overdue demonstration.

Published

3 days ago

December 15, 2025

Delvardo Emmanuel

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Tensions ran high outside BTC’s Poinciana Building, as union members representing both management and line staff staged what they called a long-overdue demonstration.

Union leaders allege employees are being forced to work in unsafe conditions, that industrial agreements are being ignored, and that workers have been terminated without due process.

Leading the protest was the Bahamas Communications and Public Managers Union, which represents BTC’s management staff.

President Kenrick Knowles claims some employees are working in buildings he describes as unfit for occupation, saying they lack proper ventilation and pose serious health risks.

Kenrick Knowles, president, Bahamas Communications and Public Managers Union
“Our organization has completely ignored our industrial agreement. They are defying terms of agreement that was spelled out in there as it relates to procedures for dealing with grievances, as it relates to payments for acting allowance and whatever, and as well as health and safety matters. Behind us here is a building that’s over 50 years old. This building was never designed for human occupation at the level that it is right now. This was designed for equipment. It has no windows. This building has no clear fresh air intake and ventilation for employees to be in.”

The union also alleges intimidation and retaliation.

Knowles claims five employees, including three line staff and two managers, were terminated on Oct. 2 after raising concerns about working conditions.

Kenrick Knowles, president, Bahamas Communications and Public Managers Union
“We have discipline procedures in our industrial agreement. They’ve completely ignored those procedures and they’ve just gone ahead and terminated employees without giving them an opportunity to defend themself. Natural justice gives every accused an opportunity to defend themself.”

Standing in solidarity with management staff was the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union, which represents BTC’s line staff across New Providence and the Family Islands. Sherry Benjiman is president.

Sherry Benjiman, president, Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union
“We’ve gone to the PM and we have asked the PM who, as president knows, alluded to represent the 49 plus 2% of the Bahamian interest in BTC, and we’ve said to him, sir, this company is not good. It’s not being managed good for your citizens who work there and for the citizens who use the service. We need your intervention to fix it.”

Benjiman also addressed what may happen next if the issues are not resolved.

Sherry Benjiman, president, Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union
“Our members on the Family Islands for the most part, at Bedside Baptist Church, our members here, we will ask them to join Bedside Baptist Church.”