Unions demand action from government, threaten strike
It started as an almost routine union protest over the dismissal of three employees at Belize Telecommunications Limited. Over a month after those initial firings the growing intensity of the controversy makes it look like a train wreck just waiting to happen. News Five’s Janelle Chanona has the latest from the union camp.
Rene Gomez, President, N.T.U.C.B.
“We presently are garnering public support and we have all our affiliate members and unions doing so as we speak and so we are preparing the ground to do battle if necessary.”
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
“Be Prepared” that’s the message from the National Trade Union Congress of Belize to the public tonight. At a press conference at the headquarters of the Belize National Teachers Union, N.T.U.C.B. President Rene Gomez outlined the unionists’ list of demands…which he says if not met will result in an imminent strike.
Rene Gomez
“One, regarding the Minister of Labour’s offer of advice and guidance of Mrs. Christine Perriott’s pursuit of other legal options available to her, the National Trade Union Congress will not support his offer.”
“Two, the National Trade Union Congress support the Minister’s directive for a thorough investigation of Mrs. Perriott’s termination but B.T.L. must be investigated first as they initiated action thus sister Christine does not have the answers.”
“Three, the National Trade Union Congress believes that sister Perriott’s case and that of other three terminated workers from BTL are not separate issues and we reiterate our demand for the immediate reinstatement of all four workers.” (clapping)
“Four, The National Trade Union Congress calls on the Government of Belize to enforce the ruling of the Supreme Court regarding B.T.L.’s ownership.”
“Five, the National Trade Union Congress has resolved that if these matters are not resolved expeditiously it will lead to strike action nationwide. End of statement.”
“At this time we are in no position to negotiate with Government. We gave them on December the sixteenth a letter to the Prime Minister and he has failed to answer and we have said now, he will need to come to us, we will no longer go to him. And then that will be a decision of the National Trade Union Congress to decide.”
The unions are refusing to detail what exactly their course of action will be but promise it will be “sooner rather than later”.
George Frazer, Assistant General Secretary, N.T.U.C.B.
“Our forces are being mobilized brothers and sisters because I know maybe some of you came to hear the word but that’s our secret weapon, but take and have no doubt that we will do what do and sooner rather than later.”
Rene Gomez
“We cannot disclose when we will act. The process is on right now and it will be sooner than you can believe. We are putting the burden on the Government of the day to take action if not, we will take action, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize.”
And will those actions include violence?
Dylan Reneau, President, Public Service Union
“I have said, no, and that is where I leave it at.”
George Frazer
“For the record, the National Trade Union Congress has never ever advocated criminal acts and these things. The last time when that incident happened on the bridge, they tried to pin it on the union and we know that some of them set up their own minions and these gang people out there. It was clear. It was clear when we went to Belmopan when there was stoning and thing. The cameras were there, nobody can say that any union people were involved in any of that, although we took our licks. But let it also be known if anybody aggress us and we have to defend ourselves, we will.”
This afternoon, leaders of the Belize Teachers Union also made it clear that they too will join in any strike. According to President Anthony Fuentes members are upset over the publicized results of teacher scores in the Primary School Examination and are willing to lose pay to prove it.
Anthony Fuentes, President, B.N.T.U.
“It’s a deliberate attack by the Ministry of Education to undermine the support that Belize National Teachers Union will give to National Trade Union Congress of Belize. But as I said we stand in solidarity with the B.C.W.U. and in solidarity with the National Trade Union Congress of Belize so if N.T.U.C.B. calls on strike, the Belize National Teachers Union will be a part of that action.”
“It is ironic that the same people that they want to invigilate and to correct the exam those are the ones who failed the exam. So we are saying that we will not invigilate and correct the exam.”
“This is a national issue and therefore if we do not stand up now we will be paying more for this in the future, so it’s time for us to stand now.”
The impending call for strike action was precipitated by the firing of Christine Perriott, General Secretary of the Belize Communication Workers Union on February twenty-seventh. Since then the Ministry of Labour has called her termination an “act of utmost bad faith” as Perriott was in the middle of handling a trade dispute on behalf of the union which involved the firing of three union liaison officers in connection with an alleged theft. But all the calls for the reinstatement of the employees by various organizations and politicians have not swayed B.T.L.’s position. In a letter copied to the N.T.U.C.B. by Dean Boyce, Chairman of B.T.L.’s Executive Committee, the company informs Minister of Labour Francis Fonseca: “it is inappropriate for you to comment in relation to a private matter between B.T.L. and Christine Perriott without full knowledge of the circumstances which led to the termination. Your comments provide a clear indication that any investigation you do purport to undertake will not be independent and has in fact been prejudged. B.T.L. resents the fact that you apparently seek to make political capital out of the situation. In the meantime, BTL reserves all its rights.”
But this afternoon the labour leaders asserted that the terminations were illegal and therefore any government intervention would be grounded in law.
George Frazer
“It is clear that any employer who intimidates, prevents or takes any action against any worker, trade union leader preventing them either to join or form unions or take corrective actions is flouting the law. And so that is clear there. Also the different reports by the committee of experts of the I.L.O. has stated clearly that in issues like these where we have despotic employers and others that the Government has the right to step in.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona
Unions represented at today’s press conference included the B.N.T.U., the P.S.U., the B.C.W.U. as well as the Belize Water Services Workers Union, the Christian Workers Union and the Belize Energy Workers Union.
