Union tries to organise Venus bus workers
Three weeks ago 90% of the employees at Venus Bus Company became members of the Christian Workers Union. The workers joined the union because they say they are being mistreated by the company’s management. The employees are demanding higher wages and for the company to make sure the buses are properly equipped. However talks between the Venus bus management and the CWU remain at a standstill. According to James McFoy, CWU’s president, because the issue remains unresolved, he has asked Labour Commissioner, Edney Bennett to address the matter.
James McFoy, President, CWU
“The workers came to us requesting representation, and they laid their complaints and their concerns and we saw it was a blatant violation of even the basic law that we have in Belize of minimum wages and these workers are being paid under that. They have taken home some wages which anybody wouldn’t want to take to even a club or restaurant. This is what they are taking home to their families, for their children to be fed. $15 sometimes, $30 sometimes, $40 sometimes. How can a worker ever sustain a family with $30 or $15?”
“As you know we were talking to the labour commissioner today and because the thing has reached the point whereby it’s on a boiling point. In other words the workers are saying to the union again that we are taking too long. We are using the same protocol behaviour that `hey Mr. Minister, intervene because the workers are voicing their concerns. Mr. Gilharry does not respond to us, hey, we want you to do something.’ We in turn approach the labour commissioner and asked him to intervene, that is the other step. I spoke to him a while ago and I said hey the workers have gone up to their noses in this problem and they are being fired, they are being intimidated.”
Arturo Cabb, Driver, Venus Bus Company
“Now we are fighting for our salary and our allowance because sometimes we move from Corozal 4-5 o’clock in the morning and we don’t reach home until 7-8 ‘o clock in the night. One or two times we get, maybe a 5-6 o’clock at home, but most of the time we sleep out of our homes everyday. So this man is paying us 28…some of us getting 28 and some of us getting $30. If we take $10 to eat, the persons…thee drivers, who are getting $28, if he takes this $10 to eat during that period of time from 4 o’clock or 5 o’clock till 7 o’clock during the day, he will deduct that from our salary. And we just get $18 for the whole day running from Chetumal to Belize. Now the ones who are getting $30 if he takes $10 he is getting just $20 for the day now we are trying to get a good salary so we could survive.”
Francisco Arcurio, Driver, Venus Bus Company
“One of the main problems is we always get cussing by the people, especially when we break down on the roads we don’t have no jacks, no wheel spanner, no fire extinguisher and the main point is salary.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Do you think the union will ever be able to meet with the management of Venus Bus Company?”
James McFoy
“Well with the intervention we hope and as I said being a responsible union, we do not want to excite any kinds of problem, but if it comes to the point that we have to do what we have to do, we will do what we have to do.”
The bus drivers say they often get tickets from the traffic department because the buses do not have spare tyres, fire extinguishers and other equipment. The workers say if their demands are not met, they will go on strike.
