CWU Issues 21-Day Notice for Potential Industrial Action Against Port of Belize

The Christian Workers Union (CWU) has formally invoked the 21-day notice, signalling the potential for industrial action against Port of Belize Limited (PBL). The move comes after the union says their negotiations with the PBL regarding a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for the stevedores have stalled. The CWU claims that despite efforts to resolve legacy issues and engage in good-faith discussions, the latest round of talks has the union and its members disappointed. According to the union, despite the port being nationalized by the Briceno Administration, their talks with the PBL have not yielded favourable results. The union’s President Leonora Flowers spoke to our newsroom about the decision this evening and why the union felt the threat of industrial action was their only option. 

Leonora Flowers, President, CWU: “We would hope that the owners of the Port of Belize would seek to address the issues that we have at the CW which are coming to an agreement about financial increase, cost of living adjustment for our stevedore members. For many, many years, the stevedores hadn’t had an increase in anything at all and now the only increase that the Port CEO has indicated that he’s open to consider to give his 30 cents per year. Three years, 25, 26, 27. It’s a paltry sum and the stevedores have indicated to us that they won’t accept that just like that. We were asking for a dollar and they would like to get that dollar or something close. That’s it, that’s amenable to them. The other increase that we have seen is for the meal. If you’re working and you have a meal out there they pay you $12. They used to pay $12. They’re gonna offer $15 now. And so that is acceptable but those are the only two increases. For many, many years, there has not been an increase in the cost of the, what is the rate of the containers, 20 and 40 foot containers. And so we are asking the port to consider an increase. The Port of Belize is currently belonging to the Government of Belize. So ultimately, I believe we’re asking government to consider these persons for a cost of living adjustment. We don’t need to go back to them and say hey cost of living has increased. It’s noted. everywhere.”

The union says it hopes that cooler heads will prevail to prevent any action from the union.