Stevedores and some of their Christian Workers Union representatives are protesting at the entrance to the Port of Belize Compound in Belize City citing gross discourtesy and disrespect.

Their issues of contention are two fold. One, they say there is now clear indication that Santander and ASR will consolidate their interests and take raw sugar exports through the Big Creek Port. This is already being done by Santander which only exports its packaged products through the Belize City Port.

But if BSI/ASR takes its raw exports to the south, the CWU says it would translate to “devastating economic losses to one hundred and fifty stevedores, approximately almost a third of which will become unemployed, and those that remain will have their annual earnings reduce by 40%.”

The CWU is convinced that things have deteriorated to this point due to the “failure of PBL’s receivership either as a result of disinterest or because of conspiratorial design fail to compete, fail to invest and fail to care.”

Additionally, CWU says while BSI/ASR has engaged its members who stand to be affected up North, presenting multiple gratuity options the Port’s receivership in Belize City has said nothing to its stevedores.

The CWU is therefore demanding a signed compensation agreement for its members taking into account years of sugar worked, once they are made redundant.

The other concern is the fact that the Port and stevedore have not signed a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) since 2004.

The CWU sent their proposals for a new CBA last year and have not had a response.