Tripartite Body Meets to Discuss C.W.U./P.B.L. Impasse

This morning at the Biltmore, representatives of the Christian Workers Union, the management of Port of Belize Limited, and officials from the Ministry of Labor, convened a meeting to discuss the way forward, amid a logjam between stevedores and their employer.  It’s the latest development in an attempt to break the impasse that has come about after dockworkers decided to return to the letter of a collective bargaining agreement signed between both parties.  That decision inevitably caused a delay in service at the waterfront, among gangs that were scheduled to discharge cargo vessels that called to port.  Earlier today, the C.W.U., as well as P.B.L., and their respective legal teams, filed into the Toucan Hall where they met for the better part of two hours.  When they emerged from the lengthy discussion, C.W.U. President Evan ‘Mose’ Hyde was guarded in his response to questions posed by the media.  Nonetheless, he said the sit-down was frank and meaningful.

Evan ‘Mose’ Hyde

Evan ‘Mose’ Hyde, President, C.W.U.

“We met and we had an honest conversation.  I can’t say much about the back and forth because they have asked us to be very anti-media.  I notice the attorney is right there monitoring everything I say and we will respect that request as long as the other side respects it.  Obviously, if there position changes you will hear a lot more about the two hours.  I think it’s, no matter what the back and forth was, it is a good sign that we were able to sit down and there’s been a timeline given for certain responses to happen and we look forward to coming back around the table very soon and that is what we have expressed to PBL management and that’s what we’ve expressed to the Ministry of Labor.  We’ve been called into a meeting this afternoon by the Port Authority and then we have a meeting tomorrow afternoon by the chamber of commerce.  I want to thank the chamber of commerce for making themselves available to meet with our team to hear our position.  We understand the chamber’s role and what they represent, but we still feel like we have to participate in these discussions.  But I can’t speak to what the details were.  Of course, we have called out the Ministry of Labor so we have to say respect that they have participated.  The minister, the CEO, the entire team was here.  Respect.”