Labor dispute in Pomona ended
After four days of industrial action, the Citrus Company of Belize and its workers have reached agreement ending a labor dispute. The stalemate ended late Friday evening with the signing of an agreement between the C.C.B. and the Christian Workers Union. News Five’s Patrick Jones has more details.
Although they won’t collect any pay for the days spent on the picket line, the striking grove and factory workers believe the end result justifies their actions.
James McFoy – President, Christian Workers Union
“It was not in vain. In my view, we won ninety nine point nine percent of what the workers claimed.”
And that claim, according to James McFoy, President of the Christian Workers Union, was that Citrus Company of Belize reinstate wages that were cut after the expiration of the old Collective Bargaining Agreement last September and look into poor housing conditions for the workers.
James McFoy
“We signed a document witnessed by Labor Department with respect to the back pay so to speak, in other words they will be getting whatsoever was taken away from them, some cases from October first, some other areas, have different dates when they were cut. And this will be paid Friday coming.”
Other benefits include:
Antonio Gonzalez, General Secretary, C.W.U.
“One, it is the opinion of the Company that the old Collective Agreement is not in force and it is the opinion of the Union that the current Collective Agreement is in force. Two, As workers return to work and an agreement is reached to start negotiations, old rate that existed at the time of reduction will be implemented with the exception of reaping rates for grapefruit being 35 cents base rate. Three, the Company agrees to pay the old rates, retroactive to the time of the cuts. Four, as the workers return to work they will be paid at their old rates. Five, for those who worked between October to December 1997, the company will pay a bonus of 4 percent of all earnings during the aforementioned period.”
But while the strike may have ended, both parties agreed to disagree on the issue of a collective bargaining agreement. C.C.B. is sticking by its position that the old one which expired last September is not in force while the Union, backed up by correspondence from the Labor Department says otherwise. The Union, however, is hailing Friday’s agreement as a victory for the workers it represent.
James McFoy
“In the sense that we got back what they had taken away from the workers. The workers got back what is rightfully theirs. As a matter of fact as we said there was no negotiations. There was no negotiations for an increase in wages. It was just a matter of giving back the workers what they had taken away from workers.”
The actual negotiation of new collective bargaining agreement is set to start on Wednesday in Belmopan – the first issue on the agenda will that of wages. Patrick Jones, for News Five.
Officials of the Citrus Company could not be reached for comment.
