By JUAN McCARTNEY, Guardian Senior Reporter

Recent remarks made by Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette on the recent industrial action taken by the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) members were "insulting" and "disheartening", trade unionist John Pinder declared yesterday.

"If BTC (Bahamas Telecommunications Company) management cannot accept the ruling by Justice (John) Lyons then they too can stay tuned [to see] the NCTU in action," said Pinder, president of the National Congress of Trade Unions (NCTU).

The Nassau Guardian reported on Saturday Symonette's comment on the possibility of disciplinary or legal action being taken against Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) workers who staged industrial actions on August 11 and 12.

"Appropriate action will be taken and persons who continue to move outside of the labor laws should beware because I think [members of the] public have shown that [they are] not going to accept those actions anymore and appropriate action will be dealt with in those cases in the future," said Symonette.

On Thursday, Pinder said the NCTU wanted to remind Symonette and BTC that only the Supreme Court or the Industrial Tribunal could deem the actions of a trade union illegal.

"We deem these remarks insulting and a threat to the trade union movement. While the DPM was acting as PM during the action by the BCPOU, this was not about him. This was simply an act of a number of staffers of BTC heading in the same direction on their entitled lunch hour," Pinder said. "The NCTU will not allow any employer to believe they can hurl threats at the labor movement for trying to protect their membership and think we will fall down and go away. The NCTU will always support its affiliates and encourage them to abide by the labor laws."

Pinder said that the NCTU will do what is necessary to fight for the survival of their membership. He said The Bahamas Communication and Public Officers Union was merely protecting the interests of its members when scores of its members and members of the Bahamas Communications and Public Managers Union (BCPMU) brought traffic — and in effect businesses — to a standstill on Bay Street on New Providence on August 11, and in Port Lucaya, Grand Bahama on August 12.

"The fact that BTC staffers reported for duty, produced and performed their duty, went out to lunch and returned after lunch cannot constitute an illegal strike," he said. "Section 37 of the Industrial Relations Act provides immunity for trade unions and members of trade unions from any civil and or criminal prosecution once the actions are in pursuance of a registered trade dispute. On Monday, August 11, 2008 the BCPOU had [previously] filed five trade disputes against the management of BTC in accordance with the Industrial Relations Act."

Pinder commended Symonette for concluding that the relevant ministers responsible for BTC [Minister of State for Finance Zhivargo Laing] and Minister of Labor Dion Foulkes, were handling the matter properly.

"I hope the government in their good wisdom thought the ministers responsible for the privatization of BTC would use good judgment and be wise in dealing with this matter," Pinder said, while quickly adding that trade unions will do "what is necessary to fight for the survival of its membership."

"Thank God for our country's constitution which allows for freedom of association and freedom of assembly," he said. "The trade union movement is about ensuring that through collective bargaining we fashion industrial agreements for good working conditions in a safe and healthy environment conducive to productivity and good performance, while ensuring that we get the best salaries and benefits possible. We will work in the best interest of our country while protecting workers' rights."