Stevedores study Port proposal

Waterfront employees were back on the picket lines this afternoon at the port compound on Caesar Ridge Road, even as the union representing them was pouring over proposals for the settlement of the dispute submitted by Port of Belize Limited. According to president of the Christian Workers Union, Antonio Gonzalez, the November third draft Memorandum of Understanding from P.B.L., contains some workable ideas.

Antonio Gonzalez, President, Christian Workers Union
?In it contents it had about the recognition of the union and that rates would remain the same, which are fundamental issues to us. But we have other areas of concern about the formation or composition of gangs, whether they will be maintained or they will be reduced in the future. But we are still looking at them, the Memorandum of Understanding. There are some areas of concern, areas that we believe that we need to address and to look into it further before we submit a counter proposal to the Port.?

Patrick Jones
?Have you discussed it with your membership and what was their response??

Antonio Gonzalez
?Well we had a meeting this morning with the membership and they had some concerns about their being with the Port, the amount of services they?ll have, the way they will be treated, whether they should be new employees or whether the entire membership should just move over and be recognized as part of the union. Meaning that at the same time they are employed by the Port the same time, the union is recognized. They don?t want no in between thing.?

This afternoon, C.W.U. representatives met with the ports commissioner and officials of the Port Authority to find out if plans for the loading and unloading of ships have been submitted by Port of Belize Limited. Gonzalez says those plans have still not made it to the Ports Commissioners Office, and hence his previous decision remains. That is that until Port of Belize Limited submits its plans and all parties concerned sign off on them, there will be no changes at the Port.