Someone is being disingenuous. Commonwealth Electrical Workers Union (CEWU) leaders insist that they want to return to the bargaining table with the Grand Bahama Power Company to negotiate a new industrial agreement, and the power company likewise has repeatedly extended an invitation to the union to do the same. Well, if both sides are being truthful, why is it that members of CEWU were parading with picket signs outside the power company office on The Mall on Friday.

Who is being disingenuous? The power company's position is well documented. It has stated its readiness to continue negotiations in every forum made available to it, including an official letter to Union President Keith Knowles dated September 4. In that letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Freeport News, the power company presented what it described as "a very attractive offer," and closed with this statement: "Although we have not yet reached an industrial agreement to date, in the interest of all of our CEWU employees, the Company remains willing to negotiate a fair and reasonable agreement with or without the assistance of a mediator."

Yet, on September 20, the union – more likely than not, acting on the advice of Trade Union Congress President Obie Ferguson, its legal adviser – voted overwhelmingly to strike and wasted no time in taking strike action. In its letter to Williams, the power company addressed the different articles of the agreement that are being negotiated, and any reasonable person looking at what is being offered by the power company would certainly scratch their heads and wonder why the union has not signed a new agreement.

Given the state of Grand Bahama's economy and the fact that the power company spent a great deal of money getting its electricity-generating capability back to normal after devastating hurricanes in 2004 and 2005, members of CEWU are being extremely unreasonable in holding out for a better offer than has already been made. Even so, the power company made it clear that it wanted to continue negotiations – no doubt with a view to making further concession, within reason – to avoid a strike.

Since it is an accepted fact in business that companies pass on the increased cost for doing business to their customers, electricity consumers in Grand Bahama, who eventually will be the ones to pay the bill for the CEWU's excessive greed, should let their voices be heard in opposition to the unwarranted strike action taken by the union.

In an editorial last week, we warned CEWU President Knowles to be careful to not allow his union to be used to feather the political nest of TUC President Ferguson. We reiterate that warning, for a clear picture is developing that this is indeed what Ferguson is doing. Indeed, among those who flew into Freeport on Friday to lend support to the strikers was the ubiquitous Cassius Stuart, leader of the Bahamas Democratic Movement (BDM), a political gadfly who offers an opinion on virtually every controversial issue that arises in the political arena. Could it be that Stuart's BDM party is the vehicle that Ferguson plans to use to try and win a seat in the House of Assembly in the next general election? CEWU members would be wise to give this some consideration.

To his credit, Immigration and Labour Minister Shane Gibson did the right thing when he ordered the union to take its dispute with the power company to the Industrial Tribunal. In the meantime, the union would also be wise to take another look at the offer made by the power company.