KHMHA Workers Union Vex with Government

On Saturday, the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority Workers Union (KHMHAWU) staged a walk-out in Belize City. The union is demanding that the government “immediately address the long overdue pension matter affecting dedicated hospital employee.”

In a press release, the union said, “KHMH workers are not asking for favors or handout- they are demanding what they have rightfully earned through years of services to this nation’s healthcase system.”

According to the union, the KHMHA has a Provident Fund in place, which serves as a retirement benefit plan for employees hired from January 1, 2018. It says that those who have served at the institution for two decades or more were never granted retirement benefits, let alone a pension. “These dedicated workers, who have spent decades caring for the people of Belize, face an uncertain and unstable retirement.”

The union added that the last pension negotiation meeting was held in October 2023, but since then, despite repeated efforts by the union to engage in dialogue, no meaningful action has been taken.

“These delays directly threaten the retirement security of long-serving healthcare professionals who have sacrificed for the people of Belize. Meanwhile, the absence of a clear pension plan has forced many experienced staff members to leave KHMH for other healthcare institutions that provide better financial security.”

“The Union demands that the Government of Belize fulfill its duty to these workers-just as it does for every other public servant doing the same work. The time for excuses is over. The time for action is now.”