27.2 C
Belize City
Friday, March 29, 2024

World Down Syndrome Day

Photo: Students and staff of Stella Maris...

BPD awards 3 officers with Women Police of the Year

Photo: (l-r) Myrna Pena, Carmella Cacho, and...

Suicide on the rise!

Photo: Iveth Quintanilla, Mental Health Coordinator by Charles...

After 3 days of stevedores’ protest, is there a light at the end of the tunnel?  

GeneralAfter 3 days of stevedores’ protest, is there a light at the end of the tunnel?  

BELIZE CITY, Wed. Mar. 4, 2020– Tension increased today at the Port of Belize Limited (PBL) between stevedores and the management of PBL, but by the end of the day, both sides made it to the negotiating table to begin talks on working their way out of their impasse.

The morning began with the PBL management taking steps to start the off-loading of a ship that was at the pier head. The stevedores of the port, who began their protest under the umbrella of their union, the Christian Workers Union (CWU), were not having it.

When the port management sent for truckers, there was no expectation that the truckers would express their solidarity with the protesting stevedores. That, however, is what happened.

The stevedores began manning the main gate through which vehicles and heavy equipment pass to access the port. Their action appeared to have ratcheted up the tension, as police beefed up their presence, and the stevedores manning the gate declared: “Nothing will enter or come out of the port.”

CWU president, Evan “Mose” Hyde, was on hand to ensure that his stevedore members protested peacefully, without any destruction to PBL’s property.

Hyde told reporters, “We have no intention of going onto the property; we have no intention of going into the offices; we have no intention of destroying anything. We have every commitment; we are not going to be undermined by any crane equipment or any attempt to have containers come off of those ships without stevedores.”

Stevedore Guy Neal explained that they don’t have a problem with the police and they understand that, the police have to be out here.

“But we will maintain that no containers will come off that ship, and like I said before, you have Lopez and Vega who coincide with us, and they block off up there, that nothing can’t come out of the Port,” Neal said.

Hyde explained, “What the truckers did, prevented this situation from becoming absolute chaos and mayhem. What they did was essentially preserve the possibility of us working around a table, to make this happen around the table rather than it just deteriorates into full conflict.”

Just before noon, Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, appeared on the scene, and the CWU president explained to him what was at play.

“We were caught completely by surprise that they would try a stunt like that [try to offload the ship at the pier head]. That is what provoked our members, but we have been clear, we have been communicating with our members, and if you get a report from your officers, we have not tried to go on that property. We are just insisting, we are not allowing any equipment to come here that’s going to be involved with undermining our position,” Hyde said.

“So you want the Port management to understand that there will be no movement of containers,” Williams asked Hyde.

“Let the process work with negotiations,” Hyde replied.

Williams left from outside and went to speak to the CEO of the PBL, Arturo “Tux” Vasquez.
When the Commissioner of Police returned, he mentioned that he had discussed with Vasquez the situation about movements at the Port.

Williams said, “I have discussed with the CEO the issue about the movement of the containers and those that were being moved were not those that the stevedores would normally be involved with. Nonetheless, that will not happen until after the meeting this afternoon. I spoke to the Minister of Labour as well, and she has assured that the meeting will take place as planned this afternoon, and then we will see where it go from there, but one of the issues the CEO is saying, is at this time, they don’t know what the demands are, so I would suggest that you say something and outline what the demands are. We just want the matter to be resolved peacefully so we don’t have to go through all kind of whatever. Let’s try to do it peacefully, and see how it goes from there.”

Hyde explained to Commissioner Williams, “But why is there an introduction of a problem when our members are just standing for their rights, without having engaging in anything at all which is illegal?”

“That is fully understandable, but like I said, if it is what he is saying, that you have not outlined what the issues are, then how are they going to address that?” Williams responded.

Hyde told Williams, “It’s important to understand that just as they have certain rights as a citizen, as a corporate citizen, our members have rights as citizens of Belize.”

Williams said, “[there is an] Essential Service Act, which clearly states, what are the processes to be followed, when it comes to situations like this and we have not been…”

“This is starting to feel like a preemptive threat, Commissioner,” Hyde quickly pointed out.
Williams replied, “No, Mose, man. You have to follow the law, brother.”

Hyde told the Commissioner of Police, “I am very uncomfortable with what you are saying to me. We don’t want any problems; we just want the situation remedied. Our members want to be making their money. They want get back to work and make their money.”

Shortly after 1:00 p.m., CWU representatives and PBL met at the Labor Department on Albert Street. That meeting lasted for the rest of the afternoon and when the parties emerged shortly after 5:00 p.m., they made brief remarks to reporters who were camped outside waiting for word from the negotiators.

Hyde came out first and told the media, “We have to make sure that we reach our members to explain to them what we have discussed in this meeting with PBL and the Minister of Labour. So, all I will say is that there have been certain movements when it comes to the workers under the shed — or as we call them, the shed workers, staff workers of PBL, which is a separate bargaining unit.

“So, they have managed to secure certain movements of the issue with their CBA and other issues. So, they left the meeting early, and they’ve gone with those members. Now, we will go to the stevedores and tell them what it is we have discussed, and what PBL has put to us. And they will get to decide what their response is going to be.”

“Do you feel as president that there has been any positive movement on the issues for the stevedores?” Hyde was asked.

“I think there is a movement when parties come together and talk. So, that is a movement that we are not talking to each other through the media. We sat around a table, and we engaged in a conversation. This comes down to what our members feel is best for them,” Hyde remarked.

When Vasquez came out a few minutes later, he was asked if there was a de-escalation of the tension between the CWU and the PBL.

Vasquez replied, “I would think so. I think that these conversations were good. I think a bit of de-escalation, as you called it, has been there. However, the issue of whether they’re on strike or not is still something that is open for determination. I can tell you at this point, I’m not sure — until they come back to us with whether they will be going back to work, or not.”

Feature photo: Arturo “Tux” Vasquez and Evan “Mose” Hyde 

Check out our other content

World Down Syndrome Day

Suicide on the rise!

Check out other tags:

International