Public Healthcare In Crisis After Union Launches National Strike

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Trade Union Congress taking matters into its own hands today by withdrawing labour across multiple government agencies.

The biggest impact was felt across the healthcare sector, but there were also impacts felt at Bahamas Power and Light, the National Insurance Board and Customs and Immigration.

In a shocking move, unions under The Bahamas Trade Union Congress pulled their labour Monday morning over longstanding issues facing the individual unions.

Public Hospitals Authority managing director Dr. Aubynette Rolle says a contingency plan has been put in place to ensure no one suffers.

Follow-up clinics have been closed, and fortunately, there was no impact on the surgical unit.

As for the extent of the impact, statement from Bahamas Power and Light says operations are running as normal.

At the National Insurance board officials said the situation there was similar.

At the Lynden Pindling International Airport, officials tell us commercial flights were moving as planned.

So what’s led to the industrial unrest?

T.U.C. President Obie Ferguson says they’re not pleased with progress made on multiple issues.

In a statement Sunday, Prime Minister Philip Davis called it an unlawful industrial action announced by the TUC, adding it seems the government must act in the face of the threat to break the law.

The action came after months of escalating tension between the unions and the Davis administration. and nearly 4 years after the TUC signed a MOU with the opposition Davis-led PLP.

Last month, Ferguson foreshadowed an industrial action by the 14 affiliates of the TUC who he said possessed a strike certificate nd suggested a mass strike action was possible if outstanding issues were not resolved.

Davis said he tried to reach out to Ferguson over the phone but could not reach him, but Ferguson is telling a different story.

“That was an impossibility because i’m in court for today, so i don’t know who made that arrangement”, Ferguson said.