Supreme Court Injunction Orders Airport Workers Back to Work

Supreme Court Justice Denise Lewis-Johnson has granted the Airport Authority an interlocutory injunction against the BPSU.

What does that mean for workers who participate in industrial action?

The tenements of the injunction are as follows:

a. A Declaration that the Defendant is in breach of the provisions of Sections 76 and 77 of the Industrial Relations Act by calling, organizing, inducing, inciting or procuring its officers and/or members to continue to participate in Industrial action amounting to a strike;

b. An Order restraining the Defendant whether by themselves, their officers, servants and/or agents, forthwith or until further Order from
contravening Sections 76 and 77 of the Industrial Relations Act by refusing to report to work, or to refuse to report to work when scheduled to do so, or leave their employment or otherwise participate in any form of industrial action;

c. An Order requiring the Defendant or until further Order to forthwith
instruct its officers and members to return to their specified areas of
employment; and to report to work when scheduled to do so and not to
take part in or continue to take part in any form of Industrial action.

According to Labour Director, Robert Farquharson, “This means that anyone who continues in Industrial Unrest will not only be accountable to the Airport Authority for disciplinary reasons, but will also be accountable to the court, as this would be seen as a direct and wilful act against the Supreme Court of the Bahamas.”