Miss Teen USA at Atlantis when the property was having better days. According to a source, Atlantis is currently in talks with Disney for a possible purchase.
CLICK TO HEAR LOVE97FM REPORT: Atlantis workers fired in disgust!
Paradise Island, Bahamas: Mass firings at the Atlantis resort got heated today as the company continued its week long mass firing exercise. Some wutless media outlets scoffed at our reports on Monday, when we reported this oncoming news to our readers.
According to an official at the resort, some 10% of Atlantis employees or near 1,000 workers would become part of the exercise. According to our source at the resort some forty (40) workers were posted on a list slated for termination from the Ocean Club Resort. Another list supplied to Bahamas Press listed another 7 workers from a special care section at the resort. Overall, termination letters were prepared for staff from a cross section of departments at the property.
Today things got ugly as workers received their termination letters with UNION OFFICIALS standing alongside hotel executives, on this third day of firings. Reports are that some workers went sobbing from the hotel, whilst others became violent and refused to leave.
Bahamas Press wonders, how did the hotel union get in a room to help fire their members? This is incredible! The UNION IS NOW IN BED WITH RESORTS, TERMINATING THEIR OWN MEMBERS?
Police had to be called in at the Atlantis today, to assist in managing those hostile workers who received their walking papers today.
I think the PM, MPs and managers of large government corporation should deduct 10% out of their salaries until things get better.
….LOL… hardhead gal when I read that I say Joe Blow must be want this hold country to shutdown, The government isn’t bold enough to fool with those civil servant salaries. They getting pay right now and they hardly want work.
Joe Blow, some senior civil servants were first to cash in on the handout for power bills so for them to contribute 10% of their wages is a stretch. If that is any indication of the economic state of this Country, we are in more of a mess than I thought. On the other hand, I hope to soon see many of the foreign workers leaving the country to make space for the thousands of Bahamians who are and will soon be out of work.
The good thing is the Labour Dept. said they have a lot of job post that needs to be filled. Some of the job may not meet ones expectation or they may be too qualified for the position, but the way I see it beats not having a pay check at all. Its time to put your pride aside, you just want to be able to pay your bills and provide for your family.
Last night while watching ZNS news I was so hurt to see the way those union representatives responded to those workers who were laid off from Atlantis. The story with the pregnant woman and husband being laid off was emotionally distressing, but last night the lady who throw her shades on the ground and blame the union representative for taking bread out her children mouth, I cant lie I felt for her, this time I was not able to hold back tears on that one. Instead of those union representatives arguing with the people and making the matter worse, after they already being deducting $10.00 for union fee out those workers cheques every week and still did not represent those workers properly. You would think they would have been more sympathetic. People today seems so immune to caring. The monies those unions are making of its members aint no little bit of monies and the members need to start demanding more from these people. If I was working in the hotel industry, I was not joining the union, because I am sure I would have done a better job representing myself.
well to put it bluntly, if the news was that good, or maybe even true . we definitely would have heard from the the minister, or the director general. but clint watson beating his chest, makes for an unbelieveable story.
Dealing with government agencies is so frustrating. Majority of the time the phone rings for the longest, when someone finally decides to answer the phone they usually comes on with an attitude. They answer your questions very short and if you ask them the simplest question, like what are the requirements or procedures to get something done, they act as if the information is top secret. They will give you half of the information and when you get there they tell you, that you need something else. There are so many unqualified and unproductive people working in government. Why the people who work for private companies are are the only ones affected when there is a recession? The government should get rid of those deadwoods that are causing the taxpayers money because they are not doing their jobs effectively and efficiently. I am sick and tired of those government workers who only come to work to watch the clock to see when it is lunchtime and when it’s time to get off. Most workers who works for private companies normally performs because they know very well their jobs can be terminated in an instance. Maybe if government workers felt threatening like the private workers, they would do better as well.
edia: Wash out your mouth with soap! Ten lashes for you with a wet noodle! Both Mr. Christie and Mr. Ingraham care about the citizens of this country. Their jobs in government depend on the goodwill of the people. To that end I propose, effective immediately, that all elected officials , permanent secretaries and their deputies as well as Department Heads show their respect and caring for the people who pay their salaries,by taking a 10% reduction in wages until this crisis is over. The monies garnered to go into an unemployment fund to establish a permanent Unemployment Insurance Scheme.
We understood that the firings are having devastating affects on on the children of these fired workers. One was overheard telling his mother, “Mummy you ain’t fired hey, cause you is a HARD worker, and people don’t fire HARD WORKERS,” the 8 year-old said.
A chilling thought for what is happening in the Bahamas today. All we say is this, what would have been the decision in the Cabinet Room if Pindling in charge? The government might have bought Atlantis and workers at the Royal Oasis would be working today! NOT SO WITH CHRISTIE AND INGRAHAM, they don’t care about the people of this country!
WE NEED CHANGE!1!
Bahamas Press
I undrestood that health benefits would continue for a 6 month period. Whenever any business is being readied for sale the owners are going to get rid of any “deadwood” to make the sale more palatable to the prospective buyer. Kerzner would be a fool not to do so. That is all the more reason for an employee to put out a little more than his fellow workers.This usually means he/she will be the last to go.
Seriously though I believe we must be prepared for the long haul as things are getting worse globally and will continue to do so for the next 18 months to 2 years. And I have long felt the election of most union bosses leave a lot to be desired. Before they “run” they shoud have to pass courses in public speaking and in negotiation tactics.
This next will cause a little controversy but I think the powers that be should put the civil service workers (excepting police, sanitation workers and health workers) on a 4 day week. Monies saved would go into Social Services Dept. as their burden will be massive in the months to come.
Another overlooked dimension to this tragedy, these Atlantis workers are also losing there health coverage. Not only are they unemployed, but if they now get sick, they are in even more trouble. This highlights the need for some type of national health insurance.
And I agree we could all use some good news but don’t promote the response to an “experiment” as the end of tourism’s troubles as was done by Clint Watson.
Joe, Clint bragged that since they had an additional 71,000 hits to the website promoting the package, things were looking bright for tourism, yeah right! These workers were given severance packages, not just laid off temporarily.
This seems more than just a cost cutting effort due to a tourism downturn. It really looks like they are trimming the fat to make the company more attractive to a potential buyer. We should watch this one closely BP.
Hemibahama: I agree these people need to stop electing people as union leaders because they have a big mouth. Having a big mouth and do not know how to negotiate on behave of the people that you represent is useless. Workers needs to demand better qualities from their union leaders, they should look for people with integrity, proper reasoning skills, proper communication skills, intelligence, and someone who is outspoken.
All the monies that these unions collects from its members, I think it is only fixing that when an employee have being terminated from their job that the union should provide the employee with some sort of monetary assistance.
Joe Blow: thank you for clearing up the term investment and for your positive view on the tourism promotional package. If it works it would be something wonderful for the Bahamas. It was good to know the ministry of tourism is taking a new and creative
approach to entice tourist back to our country. My problem was with the timing, many people are still in shock and upset about losing their jobs because they were told that things wasn’t things in the industry and now here is the very next day ZNS is talking about how bright things look for the tourism industry. That was like a slap in the face to those workers, at least they could shown some sensitivity and waited until the weekend to broadcast this story.
One last thing this is what happen when you choose a Bell Man to be your Union Boss. They dont respect him because in their eyes he is still a former bell man who can’t put 2 sentence together. Sol Kerzner aint sitting to no table with that dude. We need to start picking serious people not people because they have the biggest mouth and like to row and carry on like a fool around the job. Look where he have yall.
Boy they aint lay them off they made the Redundant just another word for fire. Even if thing pick back up they will not be re-hire they will have to re apply. This is a time in the country when people need to start appreciating the job they have and start to give real service BTC BEC and them damm government corp because you guys will be the last to go if this thing last for over a year. Also do the government give Kerzner all type of concession to bring in ****. They make millions in profit with there over pricing and stuff and to pump money into they properties all around the world. MAn I think someone need to open there mouth and say something. Thing aint been bad for that long they could of keep some of those people and send some of them damm foreigners home with their families they taking care off.
Please! The tourism story was one of those positive things that we all need to hear right now. They reported about an experiment they tried. It was advertising a package deal that included lower than usual flite and room rates for periods for a week or longer. They received 1500 bookings due to this program. It was an experiment! They deemed it went well and are ready to continue the program and will try to get other airlines and hotels to buy into it.
Where did the figure of 21,000 come from? Perhaps it was a forecasted number that I missed.
Kim: We must not confuse investment terms. Shareholders invest money and receive dividends. Workers are employed and give their time for which they are also paid in terms of wages. At Atlantis they were well paid, had opportunities to receive bonuses and had good working conditions. When one is laid off one cannot expect anything but vacation pay. Now if you are terminated or made redundant the industrial agreement defines what you should receive extra. Workers have not invested monitarily into the business and so should not expect to share in profits just as they are not expected to make up for any losses.
Once BP say these things will take place, I don’t care what nobody come behind and say, I waiting on these things to take its course.
Media ZNS were insensitive to cover that story right now, considering the amount of person that loss their jobs yesterday. Now they come on TV bragging about how well things are looking for the tourism industry. These people are so cold and lack feelings for people. When I saw that story, I wanted to scream. My mind when on that pregnant woman and her husband they were trying to let go. It a good thing they use their heads and was able to get on ZNS to tell their story. That how Kerzner change their mind and keep the husband on.
ALSO I hope you all see when Bahamas Press broked this story early Monday Morning, some media SCOFFED the report and dismissed it as RUMOUR!
Who saw where one media outlet also asked Roy COLEBROKE about the pending firings and NOT ATLANTIS? Is it not AMAZING to see not even the UNION LEADER nor The Wutless Media but Bahamas Press did?
As we say in our motto, “THE REAL NEW” can be found here on BP, WE TAKING OVER!
BP
Well ‘WOW’ WE at BP will SOON have to have to wash that mouth of yours out with soap and water. LOL! But your right! We at Bahamas Press call it SPIN, LIES and DECEPTION BY THE WUTLESS MEDIA!
And if Tourism did have a SURGE in arrivals, whys did American Airlines stop flying to the Bahamas key routes. WHY did Kerzner fire 1,500 and Baha Mar 200 this week? Or better still why are the hotels are virtual Ghost, empty to single digits? NO GUEST, LITTLE WORK STAFF and EMPTY RESTAURANTS.
And with no detail how did this sudden surge of guests came to Bahamas. All we at Bahamas Press says is this, If the Government of Great Briton offered us an ALL FREE VACATION FROM THIS HELL HOLE Ingraham has quickly turned the Bahamas into, we too would take that vacation from this desolate place, and possibly never return!
Bahamas Press/ Editor
PS: I hope you all notice only us and a few other websites were online lately. LOL! LOL! LOL! WE SMART HEY?
WOW! If things are that good, then I guess Kerzner will start calling those 800 employees back to work tomorrow….lol…..
Did yall see the Bulls*** job the Ministry of Tourism, thru Clint Watson, try to pull on the Bahamian public on ZNS news tonight? If their new program is so successful, and they received so many thousands of new bookings, why Kerzner and all the other hotels firing so many people? When are these 71,000 new bookings for? How many of these bookings have actually been purchased? Come on man, the Bahamian people have more sense than that.
Alfred you are making a lot of sense.
Its a sad day indeed! Having watched the recent coverage however the thing that bugs me is this the apparent calibre of guys they elected to negotiate there Union Agreements and lead the Organization. Listening to them talk – I would be surprised if they could spell – industrial agreement.
That aside lets do some math – 2000 unionized members – $10 a week membership deducted (mandatory) say for the last ten years – The Union has a small albeit well paid staff – But there coffers should be full and they should be able to offer alot more than minimal financial assistance – How about something comprehensive from them? (I am well aware that the membership is far larger the 2k)
Joe Blow I could picture some of those workers who were terminated from Atlantis yesterday on the plane right now headed for Miami or Fort Lauderdale to start their Christmas Shopping early with the cheque they received. Then when January morning roll in their bills still isn’t paid and the saga continues…..
It was disappointing to hear the amount of years some of them had invested in the company and the little monies they walked away with.
Anyone who follows world events has to know that “layoffs” are inevitable. Some from Atlantis were very philosophical and were ready to begin a job hunt immediately. Others, who were most outspoken, acted in a way contrary to good behaviour. I venture to say that some who are the most outspoken will take their cheques and be off to Florida for a shopping spree instead of paying off their bills and keeping what they can for necessities. While I have sympathy for all who suffer layoffs, it just points out once again that we must, in good times, set aside something for the bad times that will always come around to “Bite” us.
It was indeed sad to see the amount of employees from Atlantis who lost their jobs yesterday. I know desperate times calls for desperate measures, some young ladies and a few older ones might see prostitution as means to take care of their families, the guys might see arm robbery and selling drugs as a solution. Resorting to these types of activities will only cause you more problems and you might not be around for your families at all. It might be best to learn a trade or if you have the means maybe it is time to go back to school and enhance yourselves. If you need help start by asking the people closest to you and at the same time we must try to improve our situations. Whatever happens never sell yourselves short by getting involved with dangerous and illegal activities.
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