Teachers in Bahamas return to classrooms, postpone industrial action

NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – Education Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin has welcomed the decision by the Bahamas Union of Teachers whose members have decided to forgo industrial action and return to classrooms.

“Well, I don't want to get into the internal politics of the union, but I know as the Minister of Education I am very pleased that teachers will be in the classroom.

“Next week, the children of this nation will return to school fully face-to-face and we can begin to stabilise education in this country,” Hanna-Martin said.

Union president Belinda Wilson said that teachers were reviewing the final draft of their full industrial agreement and were completing a few details.

Last month, the union informed teachers that they should be prepared for industrial action on August 22 following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum given to the government to sign off on a full industrial agreement with it.

The government recently signed a new industrial agreement with the Bahamas Educators Managerial Union and Bahamas Educators, Counsellors and Allied Workers Union.

Hanna Martin said she is aware that negotiations have been ongoing and that at least two other unions have completed their negotiations.

“So, I don't know what has led to the prolonged one with BUT in particular, but the bottom line is that the whole purpose of what we all are doing is to advance education in The Bahamas. “Whatever we do to get there should be done expeditiously, but I certainly don't know what the dynamics were in negotiations over that period of years.”

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