If the Bahamas Electricity Corporation, the state-owned power company, with a monopoly for supplying electrical power in the country, were to give its employees an increase in salary today, the general public will be heard to groan almost immediately as practically every home-owner, who's connected to the city supply, will see a drastic change in the amount owed. They will be crying and complaining about the high cost of living, how high their "light" bills are and how they cannot be expected to pay those "big" bills on their small salaries.

And if the members of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union do not get the asked for salary increases, the whole country could become hostages, while everyone and their cousins, including politicians, will be doing double duty in trying to resolve the situation.

We know, from the union's point of view, this could be a "very hot" summer, with frequent industrial outbreaks, which could often lead to power outages.

Whenever these work stoppages occur, the management is quick to brand them as being "illegal," but there is never a price to be paid by those workers, who would hold everyone to ransom, therefore it happens again and again.

Where are the safeguards for the innocent public? Every so often there is a contract negotiating process where the wants, needs, wishes, must have and can't have of the people involved are talked about, agreed upon and signed off on, sometimes amidst smiling and grinning faces that were antagonists, not too far removed. That should be the end of the unrest until the next negotiating period comes around.

But it so often is not.

There should be no stopping midway and arguing about contractual expectations that are outside of the agreement. We asked the question before about what is being agreed to and signed during the negotiating process, only to be disregarded later on. We also asked why the innocent public must be held hostage, either before the signing or somewhere in between before the current contract comes to an end.

There seems to be no answer as the union members and the BEC management are still locked on points, which one side says have been settled in the previous agreement and the other side claims are still outstanding. So what is to be done?

The threat of "illegal" industrial action – whichever methods are employed – will be tantamount to a criminal action in that the Bahamian people will have to endure the discomfort of the heat and darkness until the ransom money (salary increase) is paid.

If at any time the action taken by the union members is in fact breaking the law, then it is incumbent upon the people who are in charge, to see that they are appropriately dealt with and are not allowed to get away with the shabby treatment of the equipment and of the Bahamian people.

If as BEC general manager Kevin Basden says, issues being raised have already been signed off and agreed in the contract that expires in 2007, then they really should not be causing contention in 2006. Everyone must abide by the rules and stick with what was agreed.