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| Baha Mar extends separation packages deadline |
Royston Jones Jr.
Guardian Staff Reporter royston@nasguard.com
Published: Aug 20, 2012
While employees at the Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino initially had until last Wednesday to apply for early retirement and voluntary separation packages, Baha Mar executives have extended the application deadline to Saturday. Baha Mar Senior Vice President of Government and External Affairs Robert Sands told The Nassau Guardian that quite a number of employees requested an extension and the developer agreed. He said officials understand that it is a difficult career decision for employees to make. “A number of persons realizing that the facility will close for a temporary period in September would wish to make the decision at that particular point in time and [we] respect that decision,” Sands said. “There are no hard and fast rules and we will deal with them on a one by one basis, but a number of persons have applied and been granted the request for the voluntary separation.” The Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino employs over 1,000 people. Sands did not reveal how many employees applied for the retirement and voluntary separation packages so far. However, he said the offer will remain on the table until August 25, despite recent claims by representatives of the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) that Baha Mar agreed to take the offer off the table. Baha Mar first made the offer to employees on July 16. The resort will close temporarily, from September 4 to October 17. BHCAWU General Secretary Darron Woods previously said 11 employees from the Food and Beverage and Housekeeping departments had opted for packages because all except one were very near the retirement age. “We have consensus agreement as has been articulated both by the Minister of Labour (and National Insurance Shane Gibson), the president of the hotel union and ourselves,” Sands said. “The important thing is that we have consensus agreement on the way forward.”
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