Nassau, Bahamas – July 15th, 2024 – Following months of negotiation and discussions, BTC and its union partner the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) inked a new industrial agreement between both parties.
On hand for the announcement and contract signing was BTC’s CEO, Sameer Bhatti, who called the event a significant milestone and a “blue letter day” in the company’s history. “I am delighted to stand before you as the CEO of BTC on this momentous occasion as we come together to celebrate the signing of the collective Labour Agreement between BTC and the BCPOU, our line staff Union.”
The agreement includes a 10% increase to the top of the scale for senior associates, as well as base salary increases of 3%, 4%, and 3% for all colleagues within the current salary bands.
Bhatti said he looks forward to the future and is confident that this partnership will sharpen the company’s focus and commitment to serving every customer with excellence, every day. “In the next few months, there will be many projects and initiatives launched, one of which has a keen focus on our Family Islands. We will complete the fiber-roll out in New Providence and Grand Bahama, and we are laser focused on improving our customer experience. In the last few weeks, we have expanded our WhatsApp offerings to include multiple levels of support for landline, mobile, and television issues. In August, we will proudly launch our JUMP program in conjunction with the Government, providing internet access, a new Dell laptop, and digital skills training to over 5,000 families in the next two years. We need a fully engaged workforce to ensure that we deliver, and I am happy that we are at this point with the BCPOU.”
Sherry Benjamin, President of the BCPOU, thanked BTC for its partnership. She said, “This is a win not just for the employees that we represent, but for the Bahamian people. I am grateful for the partnership with BTC, and I am happy that we are continuing to work together to ensure that we are providing best in class service for the public that depends on us.”
The CEO also highlighted several additional benefits available to BTC team members including parental leave, which is available from the first day of employment. The policy provides 16-weeks of maternity leave for mothers, along with 8-weeks of paid leave for fathers and adoptive parents. He also discussed the company’s partnership with LinkedIn Learning providing all colleagues with unlimited access to thousands of courses and certifications.
He proudly shared the company’s Gender Based Violence Policy which provides support to colleagues affected by violence. Through the policy, the company provides temporary relocation and housing, all free of charge.
He ended by noting that he expects that a new industrial agreement will be signed with the Managers’ union, the BCPMU soon. All full-time non-managerial colleagues are represented by the BCPOU. The contract signing was held at the Margaritaville Resort on July 15th.
The post BTC & BCPOU SIGN NEW INDUSTRIAL AGREEMENT appeared first on ZNS BAHAMAS.
