C.W.U. Issues 21-Day Strike Notice

Evan ‘Mose’ Hyde

The Christian Workers Union issued a twenty-one-day notice of intended strike action to the Port of Belize Limited on Tuesday. The letter, addressed to the Minister of Labour, Oscar Requeña notes that the union has sought to resolve a number of matters with P.B.L., but to no avail. Approximately one year ago, on the eighth of July 2020, the C.W.U. invoked the twenty-one-day notice to institute strike action on the matter of proposed salary cuts. Now, one year later, President of the Christian Workers Union told News Five via phone why the C.W.U. and P.B.L. has arrived at yet another impasse.

On the Phone: Evan ‘Mose’ Hyde, President, Christian Workers Union

“It has to do with the absence of progress on three key things. And we have not been able to get around the table with the employer. And, we have not been able to engage in a meaningful way with the government to see how these matters can be resolved so we can make forward motion. Firstly, the matter of the ASR/B.S.I. move to Big Creek, which will have a significant impact on our members, members who have been dealing with sugar, loading sugar for decades. Secondly, we have not been able to get negotiations with the employer as it relates to the staff that still has CBA negotiations that have been stalled, and we are working on a CBA that is from 2003. And thirdly we have not been able to get confirmation on the new stevedores who are to be placed in gangs according to our CBA, and who are to become stevedores . That has not been confirmed by the employer and we have not been able to get any progress on that. We have made all attempts to engage. We have sought out all the offices that we think are relevant.  The last meeting we had was one that was facilitated by the labor commissioner. And she acted as mediator and engaged employer. The employer did not provide response. And so we felt we needed to, because of how limiting the Central Service Act is, that we needed to put into motion the twenty one days notice of intended industrial action.”