Union gives firm deadline to reinstate staff

MONDAY, FEB. 28: Renaissance Aviation must reinstate seven employees in 24 hours or face a general Bermuda Industrial Union meeting.

This from BIU president Chris Furbert, who said the company had made seven workers redundant after they allegedly refused to sign documents for a 10 per cent pay cut.

Mr. Furbert said that he encouraged the workers to sign the papers.

He would not say if the BIU might strike if they were not reinstated.

He added that Renaissance had offered former employees a chance to re-apply, but that would result in them losing their benefits.

Mr. Furbert accused the company, owned by Shaun Goater and Nick Faries of “union busting”.

He added “99 percent of employees” who had been made redundant by Renaissance Aviation were BIU members.

At a press conference today, Mr. Furbert said: “If they’re not about union busting, I plead with them to take them back.”

We called Mr. Goater for comment this afternoon but without success.

According to a report by The Royal Gazette on Friday, Renaissance Aviation denied they were “union busting” and said the decision to terminate employment was necessary after the workers refused to sign for the pay cut.