This morning, the Pomona Valley in Dangriga was the venue for the establishment of a long standing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which was signed between the Christian Workers Union (CWU) and Citrus Products of Belize Limited (CPBL).

A press release which was issued by the CWU after the event today, stated that the agreement covers a little under 100 workers at peak production during the citrus season at the processing plants operated by CPBL subsidiaries, the Citrus Company of Belize Ltd., and Valley Manufacturing Co. Ltd., both of which are based at Pomona, as well as Belize Food Products Ltd. and Belize Citrus Feed Ltd., which are based at Alta Vista in the Stann Creek Valley citrus belt.

Newly appointed CWU president, Audrey Matura-Shepherd, said that they have been trying to finalize the agreement – which was originally negotiated by her predecessors – for 6 months, and one of the primary benefits to the citrus workers who are members of the union is an increase in wages.

She stated, “We have been able to work out a four-year increase for them. For the first year, they will get 17 cents an hour; for the second year, an 18-cent increase; and for the third and the fourth year, a 20-cent increase. This means that this is retroactive to the start of the agreement, which is October 1, 2013, so they will be getting a back pay, which we are told by the company, will take at least the next 6 weeks to work out, but the new regime of payments starts effectively.”

The Collective Bargaining Agreement – which covers a 4-year period – was signed on behalf of CPBL by chief financial officer Kent Herrera; chief administration officer, Nikita Usher, and production manager William Popper, Jr.

Signing on behalf of CWU were its president, Audrey Matura-Shepherd; CPBL chief union representative, Mr. Francisco Munoz; and CWU general secretary, Floyd Neal.