Labour strife threatens to close port
With last minute Christmas shipments for the nation’s merchants hanging in the balance, officials of the Christian Worker’s Union and the company that operates Belize City’s port were meeting today to avert a situation that threatens to shut down Belize’s main commercial point of entry. Patrick Jones was on hand last night as workers gathered at the gates.
Patrick Jones, Reporting
The “work to rule” industrial action instituted by employees of Ports of Belize Limited has slowed down operations at the nation’s largest shipping facility considerably. And it all started last week when workers were informed that their usual Christmas bonus cheque would be cut in half. Stevedore Evan Young Junior says it’s a bread and butter issue that they just can’t take sitting down.
Evan Young Jr., Stevedore
“They done assess we and they done say that how they wah give we five. Now they di tell we that they wah give we two and a half. That noh right because we done gone through this grading and everything and that noh right.”
Right or wrong, Chief Executive Officer Alberto Mahler says the workers must understand that he just can’t beat blood out of a stone.
Alberto Mahler, C.E.O., Port of Belize Limited
“The workers have been used to getting a Christmas bonus of five percent of their basic pay for some years now. This year because of the expenses that the port has had to go through, the debt servicing that it has inherited, the board of directors feel that they cannot really offer more than half what they have been used to. The union, to my mind, is acting in extremely bad faith by calling industrial action even before we’ve exhausted the steps that we have in our collective agreement.”
Those steps, Mahler claims, included formal notification of a dispute, and an invitation to the Labour Commissioner to mediate a solution. But while management argues over procedures, the workers say they are suffering.
Evan Young Jr.
“How the C.E.O. di say he no got the money. They grade this yard yah, they pay four hundred thousand on this yard and by three months the yard done bruk up again. Dah lone sweetheart deal they di mek. Lone friend and company they di deal with, so they have the money to pay we.”
But the workers say they were told by a senior member of the management that money had been set aside to pay them their bonuses. So when they got the bad news on December first, Wayne Cadle said they just couldn’t believe it.
Wayne Cadle, Stevedore
“They have the money. Dah haad ayze (stubborn) got them. They have the money to pay, but dah hard time they di play. Last night we mi deh out there campaigning, we campaigned good, we did not give no trouble, they bring in people through the back fi work. Everybody di work the operations, millions of dollars and they di bruk up the truck and the bruk up lots of things then they want to blame the workers. This place mek lot of money because I deh yah fi thirteen years and this never come like this never yet.”
Emotions at the port were running high on Monday night when workers got word that their employer had imported outside help to make up for the shortfall. Mahler says the work to rule is affecting not only the port operations, but threatening the national economy, a situation he won’t tolerate.
Alberto Mahler
“We are prepared to do whatever it takes to keep the port open. It is too important to the country, to the economy of this country and we cannot allow a few dissatisfied workers to have this bad effect on the country as a whole.”
“If our workers refuse to work. They are not on a strike. Remember, the strike should not be called until twenty-one days time; this is within the time. Now if they refuse to work then they are basically striking, and if that happens then we will do whatever it takes to keep the port running.”
Patrick Jones
“Isn’t it illegal to bring in non union members to work the port?”
Alberto Mahler
“No, no, I have checked already. I have checked already with the people that know. And it may be illegal if the union call a strike after the twenty-one days notice and they call a strike to bring in, but if they simply refuse to work while we are still around the negotiation table, they are striking unilaterally.”
Evan Young Jr.
“We wah stay the normal, and we will stay strong, and we noh wah tolerate that. This time we now wah deh out there as a peace thing, we wah put wah end to that. Even if we have to put pallet and block off the road fu mek they no pass, they noh wah pass this time here.”
It’s a situation that is threatening to get out of hand and unless an amicable solution is worked out soon, the situation could deteriorate further. Patrick Jones, for News 5.
At news time neither labour nor management officials could be reached for an update.
