By KEVA LIGHTBOURNE, Guardian Senior Reporter, kdl@nasguard.com

While the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) and management at the Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino are locked in discussions over impending staff cuts, it is believed that many employees may be out of a job next month.

BHCAWU Secretary General Leo Douglas said the union has been informed that if anything is to take place it would be done by early September.

"When Baha Mar took over we were told that there would be no staff reductions, but since then a lot of people have lost their jobs. And now they are saying that they have a timeline of early September," Douglas said.

He explained that when the union first got word that Wyndham was planning on cutting staff, it understood that the layoffs would take place in July.

"If we did not catch it in time a lot of people would have been gone. The general manager had given orders to do it immediately. The union blocked it and told them they had to abide by the union's contract," Douglas reported.

He said since Baha Mar took over at the hotel too many people have lost their jobs.

A former female employee, who spoke to The Nassau Guardian on the condition of anonymity because she feared victimization, claimed that the Bahamian workers are being treated as second-class citizens in their own country.

"It is just so sickening to see just how Bahamian workers are being treated by foreigners who could care less about us. I had been an employee at Wyndham up to last week for seven years and over the past three years since Baha Mar came onboard, it's been downhill since then," she claimed.

Reportedly, BHCAWU executives and the hotel's management have had at least six meetings on the matter in a bid to reach an amicable solution. It is believed another meeting is scheduled for sometime this week.

It is understood that the cuts will come from every sector in the line staff. Among those expected to lose their jobs are waiters, waitresses, front desk employees, housekeeping staff, bellmen and bartenders.

Douglas said the impending staff cuts comes as the Wyndham is mulling over closing its two hotel room towers.

When contacted earlier, Baha Mar's Senior Vice President of Operations Robert Sands called what the resort is doing a restructuring exercise, although at that time, he was not able to say how many employees would be affected by the move.

According to the former employee, Bahamian managers are walking on "egg shells, scared to even breathe, living as each day is the last."

The woman said, "I had an opportunity to make a decision before it was made for me, meaning I met with the Bahamian general manager asking if my job was secure, especially after every week seeing my co-workers getting that call from human resources and getting their walking papers. I wanted to know my position upon meeting with him. I decided to apply for a voluntary separation package and take my couple dollars and seek employment elsewhere."

Douglas said the "sad thing" about the situation is that while the hotel was sacking its lower level staff, it continues to bring in foreign workers, especially in management positions.

The union executive said employees are very concerned.

Last month, the Labor Minister, Senator Dion Foulkes and Senator Kay Forbes-Smith, expressed serious concern in the Upper Chamber with what some foreign companies and workers have been able to get away with in this country regarding their treatment of Bahamian employees.