Nassau Flight Services workers protest at LPIA

The Nassau Guardian

Nassau Flight Services workers protest at LPIA

A lunchtime demonstration by more than 60 Nassau Flight Services (NFS) employees yesterday caused baggage delays of up to 45 minutes for at least two airlines at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA), an airport spokesperson said.

Nassau Airport Development Company's (NAD) Communications Manager Shonalee Johnson said that around 2:20 p.m. NAD was informed that several dozen flight services employees withdrew their labor.

Those employees are responsible for ground handling of the majority of the carriers operating at LPIA.

“There are reports of baggage delays in The Bahamas customs area of up to 45 minutes for two arriving flights; Air Canada and WestJet,” Johnson said around 3:20 p.m.

“NFS management has indicated that they have sufficient staff on hand — management and/or temporary workers — to handle current baggage handling loads for arriving and departing flights at our facility.

“We will continue to monitor the situation.”

Meanwhile, in the parking lot of the domestic arrivals terminal, Airport Airline and Allied Workers Union President Nelerene Harding said that after industrial agreement negotiations over the last year, NFS management and the union reached an agreement two weeks ago.

Harding claimed as a part of the new agreement, which she said has been signed by both parties but not registered, employees are entitled to triple overtime pay on holidays; the first of which will be Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

“Our issue is that on Friday I spoke to the managing director and I said to him the one thing that we would like to go forward with is that...we honor the holiday pay that is coming up,” Harding said.

But she claimed NFS management had not dealt with the matter.

“To me that is total disrespect to the agreement,” she said.

Harding said if the holiday pay is not reflected in employees’ salaries next Thursday the union would demonstrate again.

However, she later said she spoke with Minister of Labour Shane Gibson and was confident the matter will be resolved.

Employees resumed work shortly before 4 p.m.

Gibson, who was contacted for comment, did not confirm or deny employees would be paid.

“The differences with management and the union have been resolved with both me and the minister of transport and aviation,” he said.

Pressed on whether employees would be paid triple overtime, Gibson said, “After they spoke with me they felt satisfied.”

 

 

 

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