Employees of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) along with leaders of the Bahamas Communications & Public Officers Union (BCPOU) and the Bahamas Communications and Public Managers Union (BCPMU) staged a demonstration at the BTC offices on Poinciana Drive on Monday.

BCPMU President, Kendrick Knowles called for government intervention in their relations with the company. He said, “when you see two unions from the same organization stand together it’s a clear indication it’s a serious problem. We’re saying enough is enough. We are demanding that the government intervene in this matter because the leadership at BTC is not delivering on their promise to the people of The Bahamas and they’re not delivering on the promise to the unions.”

The unions contend that the company is ignoring health and safety regulations and union warnings. BCPOU President, Sherry Benjamin told reporters the she and Knowles toured BTC exchanges in Abaco and they were all run down. “If our technicians go, and they have to because that’s where our equipment is, if they have to go to the restroom they have to go either in the bush or go to one of the houses in the community and ask them to use the restroom. That is unfair for a company such as BTC, a major entity such as BTC, that is unfair and its inhumane.”

According to union leaders officials of the government have confirmed that BTC is in violation of industrial and health and safety agreements. Knowles said, “we’re not going to allow them to disregard the terms of those agreements any longer. Those are the two main things we want done, health and safety standard improvement in the workplace and adherence to the industrial agreement.”

Knowles also said the unions want the five employees who were fired in October without being accused, without given an opportunity to defend themselves back to work.