Burgess: A backwards year on Bermudian employment

PLP MP Derrick Burgess, former president of the BIU, said Bermudians need to be put first in employment opportunities. He listed a string of initiatives since the OBA came to power that has not done that.

Mr Burgess gave his speech this morning in front of the BIU headquarters as part of the Labour Day festivities, He also called upon today's workers not to forget the 'blood sweat and tears" of those who had gone before them and made huge sacrifices to help make the labour movement as big as it is today in Bermuda.

Mr Burgess' speech:
Today, we pause to celebrate labour day and to remember, honour and celebrate the men and women who fought to make Bermuda a more just society for all of us.  Many of us today take for granted the benefits that were won as a result of hard work, dedication, sacrifice and yes in some instances, blood sweat and tears of trade unionists in Bermuda.

During the lead-up to the December 2012 General Election, the One Bermuda Alliance campaigned on many promises.  The one promise that stands out in the minds of Bermudians, especially those Bermudians who still remain un-employed or under-employed, is the promise of 2000 jobs.  Many Bermudians took that promise seriously and believed that if they voted for the OBA and they were elected to power, jobs would become available.
Did I, as the Deputy Leader of the PLP and a Member of Parliament, expect the OBA to produce 2000 jobs in the first year?  No, I did not.
Did I expect the OBA Government to employ 2000 more people?
No, I did not.

However, I did not expect to see jobs being created for non-Bermudians, as in the case of the Heritage Wharf project, and I did not expect to see job cuts by Government, as in the case of the Bermuda Department of Tourism and more job cuts in the private sector as in the case of Butterfield Bank, in spite of the guarantee given the Bank by the PLP Government to save the bank and Bermudian jobs. 
Certainly I did not expect as many migrant workers on the Heritage Wharf project as there was.  You will recall that earlier this year the OBA government announced that 75% of the workers on the Heritage Wharf project would be Bermudians and 25% would be work permit holders.  In response to questions from the PLP, months later the Government announced that there are 21 work permit holders and 70 Bermudians on the project.  I asked the Minister in Parliament what is the total hours worked by Bermudians and non-Bermudians, because with these figures I can determine whether the 75 to 25 percent ratio was in fact the truth.  The Minister called the question rubbish.   

The OBA Government continues to violate the Collective Bargaining Agreement and disrespect the Trade Union Officials.  First there was the issue of the Millenium ferry, a decision was made by the Ministry of Tourism and Transport without following proper protocols with the union as per the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Again, just last week, the same situation occurred with the Department of Tourism without any consultation or discussion with the Bermuda Public Services Union and again with the Bermuda Union of Teachers with regards  to  shortening the school year.   

The Minister of Tourism has stated that there would be no job losses at the Department of Tourism.  Yet, the staff members at the Department have been told that if they want to work with the new Tourism Authority, they would have to apply. These same staff members have been told that if they are successful in their applications, there will be a probationary period. This means that the “successful” applicants will no longer be government workers and they will not benefit from GEHI, and the current benefits afforded Government workers as per the Collective Bargaining Agreement.  Therefore, as I see it, there are some redundancy issues here. Additionally, the Minister of Tourism has stated that those civil servants in the Department of Tourism who are not hired by the new Tourism Authority can be transferred to other government departments as there are vacancies, yet the SAGE Commission has recommended in its Interim Report that Government should freeze all vacant positions in the Civil Service.   

In 1981 all the unions converged on Union Square in solidarity to fight the injustices of the UBP Government.  A lot of those same people who participated in the 1981 general strike are now or approaching their 65th birthdays and this government, and the past government, have discriminated against them by dismissing them because they have reached the age of 65. I agree with what Rev. Tweed said on Friday night at the BIU’s Banquet, that the present day workers must reach back for the spirit and power of our elders to fight and eradicate any present day injustice.
As a Member of Parliament, and as a trade unionist, I have long advocated for the removal of age discrimination.  “In England age discrimination is unlawful. We believe that as long as a worker is capable of being productive in the workplace s/he should continue to be gainfully employed.  

 I cannot end my address today without referring to the situation at the Ministry of Education, which I can only describe as reprehensible and shameful. Today, we have more people employed within the Ministry of Education, with certified doctorate educational degrees than ever before in our history, yet  the Ministry of Education  states that none of these people are capable of fulfilling the position of Commissioner of Education. In a press conference approved and written by the OBA Government, the Government insisted no qualified locals had been overlooked, and attributed the uproar over the appointment to a small group of disgruntled applicants twisting the facts to stir the public’s emotion around Bermudianisation.  To add insult to injury a spokesperson for the Ministry sought to single out and condemn those Bermudians who dared question the decision.  Are we going back to the days when freedom fighters like Rev. Monk, Rev. Tobitt and Rev. Golring were persecuted because they were fearless in their condemnation of a system that was unfair and unjust?  Remember the special test that the Bermuda medical board set for Dr. Gordon and former Premier Dr. Brown a test they have never given to anyone else. The test was designed for them to fail in order for them not to have a licence to practice at the islands only hospital.  Is history repeating itself? 

We in the PLP embrace change, but change must be executed in the right way. One must follow with respect the proper protocols.  Obviously some of us have lost our way. Are we still operating in a paternalistic slave society that prohibits solidarity? And discrimination against the fearless.  That’s why we need to know our history and every so often we must reread those history books so we don’t forget from whence we came. They must stop profiling our people, particularly those of colour and those of us who joined the PLP as being incompetent, lazy and corrupt.

To whom this may concern, we will not get over this, workers in this country marched for a shorter work week.  Workers marched in the streets for overtime pay, workers marched in the streets for paid vacation, maternity leave, workers compensation, public holiday pay, pensions, health insurance and if you try to persecute those that speak out, we will march on you also.