Managers Union Pushes Back Against Overtime Backlash

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NASSAU , BAHAMAS – The union representing managers at Bahamas Power and Light is pushing back as the company’s overtime bill comes under greater scrutiny.

The union says it supports efforts to control overtime spending, but says workers should not be publicly blamed for hours that were authorized and approved.

And it’s questioning why, if the reported spending is accurate, BPL’s own oversight systems didn’t catch it sooner.

BPL’s overtime spending is facing fresh scrutiny, with government moving to tighten controls after the company’s annual overtime bill approached 20 million dollars.

But the Bahamas Electrical Utility Managerial Union says employees should not be taking the heat for overtime they were authorized to work.

General Secretary Graham McKinney says the union supports greater oversight, but not what it sees as workers being publicly painted as the problem.

Graham McKinney – General Secretary, BEUMU

“BEUMU supports the proper validation, monitoring, and management of overtime. What we do not support is the public vilification of employees who perform authorized work and are subsequently compensated for that work.”

The union is also raising concerns about how information on individual employees has entered the public debate.

McKinney says the union cannot confirm or deny the overtime figures being reported, but argues that disclosing details tied to individual workers raises questions about privacy and confidentiality.

Graham McKinney – General Secretary, BEUMU

“Regardless of whether the figures published are accurate, the disclosure on the national scale of information related to an individual’s employee salary, overtime, vacation pay, or other emoluments raises serious concerns regarding privacy, confidentiality, and the protection of employees’ personal information.”

And McKinney says the union’s concerns go beyond privacy.

He argues that publicizing large individual pay figures could also create safety concerns for employees.

Graham McKinney – General Secretary, BEUMU

“Similar portrayals in the past contributed to an environment in which employees felt targeted and incidents of assaults and robberies became a serious concern.”