Workers Voice

              POVERTY-LINE
WORKERS PAY,
PAY AND PAY!
The Increased tex proposals, outiined in his latest
"balanced budget" by Finance Minister, David Gibbons,
^ hit hardest at those least able to pay. His proposal for
w^^bling (in some cases) of taxes on licence fees, fuel and
the Hospital Levy will place further demands on those who
are already struggling to make ends meet.
Such increases will place a burden on ALL workers.
But at least, workers in Government and in the business
lector generally are earning a reasonable weekly wage
which is assured. (Thanks, In large measure to the Influence
of the Bermuda Industrial Union and other trade unions In
the Island)
However, the hotel workers are In a different
category. Their basic wages are calculated on the
asiumption that they will make X number of dollars extra
in gratuities. But thera is no assurance as to how much
extra. The gratuities fluctuate with the occupancy numbers
in the hotels and guest houses through the year.
Many workers, especially In the area of housekeeping
In the hotels, cottage colonies and guest houses, earn an
average take-home pay of $143 to $150 per week, over the
year. Those figures are based on an average 70% occupancy
rate. Also, those figures apply to the workers In the big
hotels. In the smaller cottage colonies and guest houses,
that figure Is even lower.
GRATUITOUS POVERTY
Working on such Information and figures as are
available, our Research Department has arrived at an
approximate figure for the Poverty Line. That figure Is
approximately $223.00 per week for a family of four
persons. All Indications are that the average worker's family
consists of at least four persons.
In all the hotels and guest houses, the majority of the
tipped steff are In the lower basic wage bracket For
instance, at one of our big hotels, out of a totel of about
" ^ workers who receive gratuities, about 68 are in the
jsekeeping department. And many of these workers are
tlie heads of single parent homes, the sole providers for
their families.
The above figures demonstrate that the majority of
workers In the housekeeping departments of all hotels,
guest houses and cottage colonies are taking home a pay
packet which is BELOW tfie Poverty Line — and that's
WITH gratuities added. Also the figures provided apply to
those who work in the large hotels. Those who work in the
analler cottage colonies and guest houses take home even
bss.
BERMUDIANS AT THE BOTTOM
It is these hardworking Bermudians at the bottom of
the wage scale, who contribute directly to the well-being of
our guests. And It Is THEIR labour which helps to Increase
the profitability of such enterprises. Which, In tum, (as the
Govemment informs us) provides profitable employment
for the majority of those connected with the tourist
industry In this colony.
Under tfie proposed increased texati<»i, these are the
workers who will be hit hardest In their teke-home wage
packets. Many are already struggling to make ends meet
and to provide adequate housing, food and clothing and, in
(Continued on page 8)
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General Council Group
To Attend George Meany
Labour Centre Seminar
A group of 23 BIU members from the General Council and a
w_w divisional officers and shop stewards are due to leave Bermuda
this Sunday for the George Meany Centre for Labour Studies in Silver
Spring, Maryland, for a seven-day leadership training course.
The unionists will be the guests of the American Institute for
Free Labour Development (AIFLD) who sponsor workers'education
for the Caribbean and Latin America areas as well as the mainland.
The group, who will be housed on the George Meany campus,
will be led by the two vice presidents of the union and the education
offlcet They Include: Sister Barbara Outerbridge, Brothers George
Baisden. Kenneth Pilgrim, Stan Lee, Amold West, Clarkston Tankard,
Robert Wilson, Norris Smith, Victor Fishlngton, Chris Furbert, James
Burgess, Wendell Hassell, George Smith, Ira Thompson, Alfred Bean,
Collin Simmons and Kenneth Burgess (General Council members).
Also attending t\n course are Brothers Lionel Pearman, Calvin
Ming, Winston J. R. Jones, Leroy Bean, David Brangman and Austin
Wilson St (Trustee).
^SPSlt Copy
Vol. 10. No. 14. Hamilton, Bermuda - Friday, March 6, 1981 Price: 15c.
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Tii'giiff • f ' r t S w B B B B I
NO AGREEMENT YET! Members of the negotiating team representing several
Government departments pose for a photograph just before going to another round of
telks to hammer out a new collective agreement The negotiations have been going on for
over four months with no sign of reaching a settlement. The old agreement expired
December 31,1980.
IMMMM^MMMNAAAMAA^^
Hotel Workers To March on House
To Protest Govemment's Proposals
At a packed meeting of
the Hotel, Restaurant and
Nightclub Division of the
Bermuda Industrial Union,
held Tuesday evening, it
was imanimously agreed
that workers in Bermuda's
leading industry would
march on the House of
Assembly today (Friday) to
protest Govemment*s pro­posal
to tax their gratuities.
Tfaey plan to faand over
to Premier David Gibbons a
petition, signed by
hundreds of workers, asking
faim to re-consider
increasing the Hospital Levy
(income tax) on wages
generally, and putting a tax
oa tiieir gratuities
^>ecifically.
A visibly angry meetii^
heard Shadow Minister of
Finance, Frederick Wade,
Dr. Barbara BaU (BIU
Research Officer) and BIU
Secretary General, Eldridge
Brimmer point out tfae
"evils" of this proposed tax
measure. Tfae workers were
told tfaat tfaey sfaould not be
expected to accept this
extra burden on their
aheady hard-hit pay
packete, and that tfaey, and
only tfaey, were m a
position to do sometfaing
about it.
The proposed march CHI
the House, we understand,
was just one form of protest
whicfa tfae workers intend to
pursue.
LOOK INSIDE FOR . . .
Editorial Page 2
Where It's At Page 4
2,000th Member Page 5
BeIco Hearing Page 6
Southerners Page 7
Co-op News Page 8
SEMINAR. Participants of a seminar held this week at BIU Headquarters take time out
from the classroom to pose for the photographer. They are: Sisters Enith Symons, Glorita
Seymour, Darlene Smith, Laverne Scott, Louella Pearson; Brothers David Landy, Leslie
Virgil, Larry King, John Tucker, Leonard Davis, Dennis Ottiey, Jack Eve and Randy
Simons. Not present for the picture were: Walter Millett, Willard Raynor and Vernon
Lightbourne.