Christian Workers Union Threatens Industrial Action Against Port of Belize Limited Over Payment Dispute

As if the Definitive Agreement were not enough for the government to deal with, the Christian Workers Union (CWU) has threatened to proceed with industrial action against the Port of Belize Limited.  The written notice was issued today, which puts the intended strike action at the end of the month.  The 21-days’ notice is reportedly being invoked using Section 15 of the Settlement of Disputes in Essential Services Act, Chapter 298 of the Laws of Belize.  According to the CWU, they have tried to get the Port of Belize to the negotiating table, with the involvement of the Ministry of Labour.  With that approach failing, the trade dispute between CWU and PBL remains a live issue since PBL refuses to abide by the order of the Essential Services Tribunal to engage in negotiations to determine the terms of payment, reference the March 6, 2020 agreement.  The terms of payment that the letter to Minister Oscar Requena refers to, have to do with the compensation that the stevedores are seeking after the BSI/ASR took their business to the Big Creek Port.