Teachers are preparing for a massive demonstration this Friday in Belmopan. Last week, around three thousand teachers gathered to vote on taking industrial action, with over two thousand, five hundred members supporting the move. The union’s demands come in response to a recent salary increase for top government officials, including the Cabinet Secretary and Chief Executive Officers. B.N.T.U. is calling for a salary adjustment for teachers and an increase in the minimum wage from five to six dollars per hour. National President Nadia Caliz elaborated on the union’s demands, emphasizing the need for fair compensation for Belize’s hardworking educators.
Nadia Caliz, President, Belize National Teacher’s Union
“CEOs got their twenty percent and we’ve been there waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting. And it sounds like I’m exaggerating, but that’s how my teachers feel. And it’s like, we’re not important. So we want for government to understand we matter. We have value. Please consider us. Right now, the demands have to do with an eight-point-five percent minimum salary adjustment to deal with inflation. We’re asking government to put in black and white an agreement that we have for the last CBA. That transfer grant should be one thousand five hundred dollars, but because the Ministry of Finance and other financial officers have not received that in black and white at all, you find that members are still getting, or workers are still getting one thousand two hundred, which means the government owes them three hundred dollars. So if we have an agreement for one thousand five hundred, then put it in so that people can receive what is rightfully theirs. The other has to do with the fact that, which we can put it out there now, if you’re saying that it’s costly for you to pay all public offices and teachers. Then focus on the group that has taken the time out to pay their financial contribution to their union representative, who is actually lobbying on their behalf, lobbying for the demands, lobbying on their behalf. Take care of them. Then you can do the others afterwards. But we know that our group will not cost the big figure that you’re gonna put before us. We are fully aware that, and the union stands behind this, our membership stands behind this.”
