No Agreement with Stevedores on Compensation Package

Late this evening, the Christian Workers Union fired off a press release responding to the Port of Belize Limited.  That statement says, “C.W.U. offered options for a prompt resolution of the current unlawful lockout by P.B.L.  Notwithstanding the binding Collective Bargaining Agreement hours of work provisions, stevedores agreed to work the larger container vessels, particularly for B.E.C. and Marine and Services, requiring more than fifteen hours to load and unload using a two-gang rotation.  However, the deal breaker continues to be P.B.L. ignoring the Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal, March thirtieth, 2022 order and its refusal to honor its agreement to compensate stevedores for the income lost with sugar going south to the Port of Big Creek”.

Isani Cayetano

“In respect of the compensation settlement, PBL is saying that they are essentially at zero and you guys started off at five million [dollars].  They came back again and they are saying [that] they are still at zero, now you guys are at three point five million [dollars].  What is the fate of that because obviously you’re on two opposite ends of the spectrum?”

Evan ‘Mose’ Hyde

Evan ‘Mose’ Hyde, President, Christian Workers Union

“So we’re far apart and, I mean newsflash, that’s how it works with negotiations.  We have our position and they have their position.  I won’t negotiate in front of cameras, we will negotiate with the right people around that table and then we will make our arguments, you make your arguments and we will see how we can find a way forward.”