Amendment to Essential Services Act postponed…

Relations between The National Trade Union Congress of Belize and the government had gone sour in the past months. But it now appears that government has sweetened the pot for the union umbrella organization and things are on the mend. The N.T.U.C.B. has won major concessions from the government on five critical issues that the unions have been facing. The most pressing topic was a bill to amend the Settlement of Disputes in Essential Services Act, which was presented to the House of Representatives on July twenty-fourth. That amendment, Prime Minister Dean Barrow said was a result of the K.H.M.H. doctors’ go-slow and the one day sickout they staged during the dispute with the hospital’s pharmaceutical purchases. On Monday N.T.U.C.B. executives met with the Prime Minister, who offered them an olive branch. N.T.U.C.B.’s General Secretary, Javier Roberts, says they see it as a victory.

Javier Roberts, General Secretary, N.T.U.C.B.
“At our meeting yesterday with the Prime Minister, the proposed bill was one of the issues we raised with him and after couple discussions he agreed that he would hold off on the passing of the bill and we’ll work together on reviewing the entire legislation and strengthening the different structures that are within the legislation to ensure that there is equity, there is a speedy resolution of disputes as it relates to essential services, different unions and companies that operate under essential services.”

Jose Sanchez
“In addition to dialogue with the PM, aren’t you still going the route of seeking help from the ILO?”

Javier Roberts
“Well, as part of our agreement, we the N.T.U.C.B. will be getting a group of people together; experts, specialists, and we will be seeking assistance from the ILO and other regional organizations that deal with unions and labour to get their support in formulating a joint revised amendment to the act.”

Jose Sanchez
“Do you see this as a victory or just another step in the process?”

Javier Roberts
“It’s a victory because we are here to dialogue with the government whenever there is any changes that will affect workers and like we said before, we are responsible organizations and we are willing to dialogue and talk, come to the table and agree to something which is pleasing to all parties concerned.”