Former BTL Workers Demand Severance Before SMART Acquisition Proceeds

As the unions are taking votes on the BTL proposed acquisition, the Belize Communications Workers for Justice, BCWJ, is calling on the government to pay monies owed to former employees of Belize Telemedia Limited.  The group held a press conference this afternoon in Belize City, where the group is voicing firm opposition to the proposed acquisition of Speednet-SMART.  The BCWJ, a group representing former BTL employees, says the proposed acquisition should not move forward while outstanding financial obligations to former workers remain unpaid. Members argue that BTL must first settle severance and other entitlements owed to former employees before engaging in a major corporate purchase.  Speaking from the head table, BCWJ representatives detailed what they say are longstanding severance payments owed to scores of former workers, many of whom served the company for decades. The group maintains that these obligations have been acknowledged but remain unresolved.

The group says it is particularly concerned that BTL is aggressively pursuing the SMART acquisition while former employees continue to wait for compensation they believe is lawfully due.  We will have more from this press conference in tomorrow’s newscast. /