AG Files Injunction Request Against PBL

For days we have been reporting on the escalating situation at the Port of Belize and stevedores who have been protesting for days.  Tonight, Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte has become involved in the standoff at the Port of Belize and is seeking to file a request to the Supreme Court on Wednesday for an injunction to halt the termination of P.B.L. employees, many of whom are represented by the Christian Workers Union.  The implementation of redundancy of these workers is to commence on July twenty-second.  P.B.L. and the Christian Workers Union have locked horns in a labour dispute regarding a ten percent salary cut by the port management.  According to a release by government, the matter has been sent to the Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal for consideration on Wednesday.  On another note, P.B.L., in a letter sent to the Labour Department on July twelfth, informed of the redundancies and the request for a tripartite meeting with C.W.U.  On that same day, the Labour Commissioner responded to P.B.L. advising that the company should follow the redundancy process outlined in the Collective Agreement, and in the absence of such a process in the Agreement, there should be strict compliance with the requirements outlined in the Labour Act.