CWU Says No To Consensual Work Agreement Contract

On February second, the Belize City Council issued a letter to the Christian Workers Union informing them of the implementation of a Consensual Workplace Agreement. The Belize City Council claims that it was created to avoid discrimination, exploitation, favoritism, and harassment. The document is to be signed by both parties involved in the relationship, as well as a witness, and it states that, “while a social relationship continues between them, neither of them will request, apply for, seek in any way, or accept a direct supervisor or reporting relationship with the other”. Here’s what president of the CWU, Leonora Flowers, had to say on the matter.

 

Leonora Flowers, President, Christian Worker’s Union

“The feedback from the union has to be that our members were never consulted on that. It was never brought to CWU. All we got was the document that said, this is a consensual relationship agreement. At first glance, and I’m no lawyer, but at first glance for the common man, the reasonable man will look at that and say,  we cannot go ahead, I cannot sign on to this. So we’ve indicated to our members, give us your feedback, did you have any input, and there has been no input from our members to the council. So we’re at a loss as to why or where that originated from. But, CWU will not have any of our members signing on to such an agreement.”

 

Reporter

“So you expect that, having sent that letter to the union, at some meeting, it’s going to be raised by the council?”

 

Leonora Flowers

“We don’t know what to expect. To me, it should be a dead issue because that, that is something illegal to me. You cannot go ahead asking people to sign away their rights when a CBA exists. The most the council can do is to create a policy to say we will not allow fraternizing, and if fraternizing has happened, these are the pitfalls and this is what the council will do. But you cannot say you can sign on to a consensual relationship agreement between persons working under this establishment. We cannot bring like that.”

 

Reporter

“When you say sign away their rights, you are talking about privacy rights, for one.”

 

Leonora Flowers

“Privacy rights, and you may be in a relationship, so you’re going to make it, put it in an agreement for the council to, to do what?  You cannot have people sign away that kind of rights.”