P.S.U. president calls firings BAHA unjust

And still on the firings, Public Service Union President, Jacqueline Willoughby Sanchez, says that her union believes the firings of four employees at the Belize Agricultural Health Authority are unjust. Will the P.S.U. join in next weeks protest organized by the P.U.P.? That is what we asked Sanchez late this evening.

Jacqueline Willoughby Sanchez, President, P.S.U.
“They are being fired because it is conceived that they were campaigning by the minister, Minister Montero to be exact. So they just ordered them to be fired. What the union is saying is that we’re not saying that people can’t go home for whatever reason, be it political, business or anything. We’re simply saying let’s have due process. If he knows for a fact that they were campaign there are ways to prove that and lets go to due process. Of course, that is what they are refusing to do.”

Jose Sanchez
“Those workers, were they permanent workers or open vote?”

Jacqueline Willoughby
“They’re permanent workers. By its very nature a statutory body dos not have open vote workers. And if there were any doubts whether or not they are permanent, there’s a memorandum of understanding between BAHA and the union which clearly states that until the transition date, they will be abided by the Public Service Regulations. And that regulation only hires permanent workers. But if you had any confusion there, then you would go to their first of October meeting and in that meeting they clearly stated that these workers are permanent. So they are permanent workers.”

Jose Sanchez
“What’s the next step for the P.S.U. regarding this case?”

Jacqueline Willoughby
“We’re going to continue challenging this until some resolution is met. It is important for us to continue to challenge it simply because we have suspended collective bargaining agreements. That is an important process for us to go through the transition. The transition cannot happen before that. So for the moment it’s suspended. Whatever else the union will do, we’ll have to wait and see if they will do anything else.”

Jose Sanchez
“Today at the P.U.P. press conference Cordel Hyde said that they are going to protest in Belmopan next week. Is the P.S.U. also going to protest?”

Jacqueline Willoughby
“That’s not a matter for just Ms. Jacqueline Willoughby to decide, that will be something the council will decide upon.”