P.S.U. Prez Says Trade Dispute with G.O.B. Continues

The strike effected by the Belize National Teachers Union and the P.S.U. has been placed on hold as teachers are expected to return to work on June first.  While the B.N.T.U. is preparing a legal challenge against the Briceño administration, the Public Service Union maintains that the trade dispute with government continues.  It is not clear whether the salary deductions from teachers who participated in the industrial action may have been a deciding factor for them to return to their classrooms.  What we know is that the motion to deduct ten percent of salaries from teachers and public officers was read in the house on Friday.  We get P.S.U.’s position from its new president.

Dean Flowers

Dean Flowers, President, P.S.U.

“Nothing really changes other than the strategic direction under which I am hoping to carry the union.  Where the current impasse with the government is concerned, the mandate remains the same.  At Saturday’s meeting that was one of the major decisions and that has been stated in our press release that the trade dispute remains very much alive and that branch chairs, based on the request from their branch membership are free to engage in any legal form of industrial actions that they see fit and so where our trade dispute with the government is concerned we continue with our work-to-rule, we continue with our go-slow.  And where membership makes the call, we continue with strike action.  So nothing has changed where that mandate is concerned and nothing has changed where the existence of a trade dispute remains very much alive and until such time that it is resolved peacefully or amicably either via the labor dispute tribunal or via negotiations with the government.”