K.H.M.H. Workers Union Protest over Pension Disagreement
An impromptu protest took place today at the compound of the national referral hospital over an issue that has been simmering since June. It has to do with pensions for which about a one hundred staff members have contributed to, but there is uncertainty if they will be able to collect. The staff claims the hospital has flip flopped on the issue and the latest they heard is that they are not pensionable. So today they held a protest. News Five’s Hipolito Novelo reports.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
Some one hundred K.H.M.H. staff members this evening gathered in front of the hospital to make their voices known to the C.E.O. Michelle Cox-Hoare. Led by the K.H.M.H. Workers Union, staffers are extremely upset over a June twenty-eighth memo in which the C.E.O. tells the staff that they are not pensionable.
Lidia Alpuche Blake
Lidia Alpuche Blake, President, K.H.M.H. Workers Union
“There is a big issue concerning our pension and we just want to send a message that we are who we are. We do what we do and we are just asking for what we deserve. There is not a worker in this country that should not be entitled to pension. We just want to make clear that we did the work, we are doing the work and we deserve what any worker in this country deserves; a pension.”
And according to the union’s President, Lidia Alpuche Blake, in a meeting earlier this year the C.E.O. told staffers that they are pensionable.
Lidia Alpuche Blake
“In January of this year, they got a legal opinion that they held a staff meeting and told us that we were pensionable based on that legal opinion.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Where was the break in communication?”
Lidia Alpuche Blake
“Up to May of 2019, late May then called us back and told us that they consulted another lawyer, had received another legal opinion. Miraculously too on a paper surface from the Solicitor General from 2004, making that three legal opinions. We consult the Belize Medical and Dental Union and they had had a legal opinion from 2009. Then they had another legal opinion so that is five legal opinions.”
That memo informed staffers that after further consultation and legal clarification of both the K.H.M.H.A. Act and Pensions Act, pension payments are only payable by the government.
Romilio Castaneda
Romilio Castaneda, Secretary, K.H.M.H. Workers Union
“Part of our investigation revealed not only those the K.H.M.H. Act provides for something else so that the staff can go home with, a pension scheme. What that does is it does not provide for a replacement for what is already provided to the K.H.M.H. Act which makes reference to the pensions act. So if there should be a contributory, keep in mind that the K.H.M.H.A. act makes reference to a non contributory pension from the government, what it does at the same time it gives provisions for a supplemental pension which is contributory.”
That scheme comes in the form of the Provident Fund which was established two years ago.
Lidia Alpuche Blake
“Before we get clearance of where we stood, we tried to set up something. It wasn’t feasible to set up a pension scheme because of the money involved to do it. So we as employees and the Board of Management under Doctor Coye set up what is the K.H.M.H. Provident Fund where the employees agreed to contribute three percent of our salary. That Provident Fund was established in 2017 and that was established through a memorandum of understanding finalized in November 2018. We have been calling them to come back because there is a clause there that says we will revise and review our weakness and strengths and that would have brought back the pension issue again.”
The union is demanding that clarification of their status be determined by the court. Any further resistance from the K.H.M.H. Authority may lead union members to take drastic measures.
Hipolito Novelo
“How far is the K.H.M.H. Workers Union willing to go in order to settle this matter?”
Andrew Baird
Andrew Baird, Vice President, K.H.M.H. Workers Union
“As far as our membership wants to go in order to settle this matter.”
Hipolito Novelo
“And if the sit down does not happen? Are we talking strike? Sick out? Sit out?”
Andrew Baird
“We there not, or would not, at this time say what is next but I can tell you we have our plans in the pipeline.”
Lidia Alpuche Blake
“We were telling them enough, anybody can give a legal opinion. There are umpteen lawyers who can give their legal opinion. Why don’t we just go to the courts and get a declaration as to where we stand? We are just deserving of a pension.”
Hipolito Novelo, News Five.
