Unions call for 2 day strike
The nation’s unions have finally decided on a response to Government’s new tax measures: their answer? A two-day strike that is intended to bring a halt to central government operations, close the schools and curtail access to water, electricity and telecom services. At the same time, Belize’s two main private sector organisations have called on business houses to close their doors, also on Thursday and Friday. This afternoon general secretary of the National Trade Union Congress, George Frazer, and Teacher’s Union president Anthony Fuentes, visited our studios to explain their intentions.
George Frazer, General Secretary, N.T.U.C.B.
“Well we have agreed that we will have a total shutdown tomorrow, Thursday and on Friday.?
Stewart Krohn
“What do you mean by a total shutdown??
George Frazer
“We will through our various unions effect measures, industrial action that we feel will bring about the attention of Government and we are asking the support and the understanding of the public for example the teacher?s union we are asking for all the teachers to come out to support our action.?
Stewart Krohn
“Primary School, secondary and tertiary??
George Frazer
“Primary school, secondary, tertiary the U.B. students; the faculty and staff. They are all with us. We held a meeting yesterday with general managers of the Primary Schools and they were also a couple representatives form high schools and they?re all on board because the measures are national issues and also closer to home with the teacher?s union and the public service, our third payment of the third year salary increase.?
Stewart Krohn
“Okay, let?s go on to the unions. Public officers in general, not showing up for work Thursday and Friday.?
George Frazer
“Well that is our understanding. That?s the plan.?
Stewart Krohn
“Essential services, fire, immigration and things like that. They show up or they don?t show up??
George Frazer
“Well we know some of the essential services like health, fire, security forces. We don?t want to jeopardize the best interest of Belize and our Belizean people. So they know that in the first instance, we would like for them to be on standby and the other services are not as essential. So yes, we expect all the other services to come on board and support the action.?
Stewart Krohn
“Private companies: water, electricity, telephone. What?s happening with those unions??
George Frazer
“Those unions have also indicated that they will affect the necessary measures. There could be some blackouts and also cutting in water.?
Stewart Krohn
“When you say affect the necessary measures, you are asking those workers to cause blackout, to cause water shortage and to cause phone blackout service or you are telling them not to show up for work. What?s the position??
George Frazer
“Well they know what they are to do and could include all of the above.?
Stewart Krohn
“Other unions that make up the N.T.U.C.B. that works for Ports and other private…?
George Frazer
“Christian Workers Union, the Belize Workers Union.?
Stewart Krohn
“Sugar workers; how about them??
George Frazer
“They are all on board and they have already agreed on the measures they are going to take to shutdown.”
Anthony Fuentes, President, B.N.T.U.
“As a union we have made it abundantly clear to all our educators in this country that there will be a total shutdown of all the schools on Thursday and Friday. So we are advising parents not to send their children to school on Thursday and Friday.?
George Frazer
“We had a meeting this morning with the minister of education. He requested a meeting with us and we explained our position. He said he understood our position and that he would not try to get in the way to pressure our course not to follow through. And he also indicated that he would not be in favour of taking away any monies from our people. Our branches have reported because most, if not all, of our branches held meetings over the past two days and they have indicated, many of them, that we ware willing to give back those days whether it?s a Saturday or some other for the students. Our interest is not to harm students or their parents but to focus on the weaknesses in the system, the abuses which will affect them.?
“The issues right now are national and down the line if we don?t take the necessary measures and sacrifices; it could be a long, hard summer for everybody.?
Stewart Krohn
“Let me cut to the chase here. Come Monday, let?s say your strike succeeds beyond its wildest dreams, hundred percent no show for teachers, public officers, all you union workers. What?s the next step? What are you trying to achieve by this industrial action??
George Frazer
“We want to send a clear message to Government, Prime Minister and others. We have made some recommendations to them. We are prepared to work along with any Government and to try in the best interest of Belize to see where we can close the gaps. But first, we have to also close those loopholes and those areas where abuses have come.?
Anthony Fuentes, President, B.N.T.U.
“The national Trade Union Congress of Belize has written to the Prime Minister informing him that we want reform in our system. We are also saying that there are a lot of monies out there that the Government needs to collect. And we are saying that they need to collect these monies. There is no need for the Government of the day to tax the Belizean people and that?s the reason why as a responsible organisation we made recommendations to the Government. We met with them at Central Bank, we presented recommendations to them. They mentioned to us that they will look at our recommendation and then try to implement the recommendation that we suggested to them because it was coming from both the Chamber and the Trade Unions.?
