IslandMode

As if the faculty of the College of The Bahamas couldn't be more fed up with cut backs, delays and everything in between there is yet another problem; this time, with salary cuts due to 'their assumed participation in the union strike last month.'

Exerts from the article written by Ava Turnquest:

'FIFTEEN cases have been delivered to the Magistrate's court against the College of the Bahamas after numerous faculty members received salary cuts due to their assumed participation in the union strike last month - another 10 cases are pending further information before submittal.

COB faculty are paid monthly by direct deposit into their bank accounts. It was alleged that last month's pay slips indicated to faculty that their bank accounts had been debited their normal salary. However, upon physically checking their accounts, some lecturers discovered that they were actually paid a lesser amount - a $400 cut in some instances.

Before faculty union members engaged in industrial action on the first day of exams at the institution in April, the college released several statements that indicated its plans to withdraw payment from those who opted to withdraw labour. The institution advised all faculty members who were not participating in the strike to inform the College directly or it would be assumed that they were participating.

The lecturers are represented by Milton Evans of the law firm Evans & Co.

Mr Evans explained: "Once you send a notification to a person saying this is what your salary is expected to be on pay day when you go to the bank the same amount should be reflected in your account - if salary cuts were made it should be indicated on the pay slip.

"Separate to that, a number of lecturers experienced a salary cut even though they did not participate in the union strike, which means that the college did not properly check to see which lecturers were working. So the magistrate will be asked to make a determination on that."

The matter was filed last week Wednesday, and parties are currently awaiting a hearing date.'