May 1 is celebrated in most countries as Labor Day, and it is set aside to honor the contributions of paid workers and their labor movements. The modern Belize was largely built on the backs of free labor – our enslaved ancestors, and then indentured labor – our ancestors from Asia who were brought here to ensure that there was a supply of cheap labor in the country. We remember and honor them on May first. By the 1930s, workers in our country were organized, and standing their ground for better pay and work conditions. While May 1 is primarily about paid workers (and their labor movements which have brought them better pay, better benefits, better and safer working conditions), the self-employed and employers (some of whom are not happy about having to pay workers who won’t show up on the job) are deserving of recognition for their labor too, for their contributions to the growth of Belize.
On this public and bank holiday, we reflect on the heroes and heroines of yore and recognize the champions of today; and after the serious speeches it is traditional for some festivities, for May is usually a time of good weather in Belize, and on a public-and-bank holiday, workers are usually in a celebratory mood. But this year is a little different, with tension building up between the government and its employees. The government might have all the blame for the “edge” on Thursday.
A cheer did not go up from people in public employ when it was announced that the Cabinet Secretary (Cab Sec) and the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in the various ministries of government had received a hefty raise. Employees on the lower tiers in government – public servants, teachers, hospital workers – have been in negotiations about their pay and benefits ever since the government pressured them into accepting a 10% reduction in their salaries during the Covid-19 pandemic, the harshest economic period in the country since WWII.
In last Friday’s editorial, we noted that the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU) had called the raise “obscene”, and had reminded the government about their “frozen increments that are now long overdue for repayment.” In the said editorial, we reported that the president of the Public Service Union (PSU), Dean Flowers, said it was a “shameless act once again by the Cabinet Secretary on behalf of the CEO caucus and himself”, and a betrayal by this administration which, while they are engaged with the union in a comprehensive salary review and salary restructuring exercise, allows this little group to essentially say, “We don’t care what you’re doing on the larger scale, we’re looking after ourselves.”
The BNTU and PSU feel they have been patient, considerate during this period when we have not yet recovered fully from the impacts of the almost three-year long pandemic (2020-2023), wars in Europe and the Middle East that have interrupted the supply chains and caused major inflation, and on top of that, the latest turmoil, the disruption of trade caused by the US’s tariff war on the rest of the world. And now this, in their face, a big, fat raise for the contract officers whom the ministers had hired and set on top of them.
Last week, the Joint Unions Negotiating Team (JUNT), which represents the PSU, BNTU, and the Association of Public Service Senior Managers (APSSM), wrote to PM Briceño about the “recent decision to reward Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) with enhanced benefits”, while disregarding “the sacrifices made by frontline public officers.” The JUNT letter said the raise of salaries for the Cab Sec and the CEOs “represents a grave injustice and a blatant disregard for the principles of equity and shared sacrifice.” The JUNT, citing the erosion of their earnings because of inflation, are coming for theirs on the heels of the Cab Sec/CEO raise. In their letter they called for an 8.5% adjustment of the salaries of their members, a similar adjustment for pensioners, and an increase of the minimum wage to $6 per hour.
On April 24, the president of the BNTU, Ms. Nadia Caliz, wrote to the Ministry of Education (MoE) to inform them of simultaneous countrywide membership meetings being held by the union on Wednesday, April 30, at 9:00 a.m. In its brief notice, the BNTU stated that it would “greatly appreciate” the “cooperation” of the MoE “in allowing our members to attend.” On April 25, the MoE responded that it fully respected “the Union’s right to engage with its members”, but it didn’t like the “tone” of the memo, which it said was more a “directive” than “collaborative.” The MoE also said the notice didn’t give them sufficient time, and explained that “advanced notifications are necessary to ensure that proper arrangements can be made by managing authorities and administrators to ensure the continuity of instruction.” The MoE asked the BNTU to “resubmit the request providing a more adequate notice period.”
Since the “Public Service” was diluted by political interference, beginning after we got independence, the BNTU has taken the lead as the dominant force for government to contend with. Mostly, the BNTU has fought for improved salaries and benefits, but at times the union has championed causes outside of direct workplace issues. In a number of those endeavors, it has been joined by the PSU, which still maintains a core of disciplined, dedicated, politically non-aligned members in its ranks. No one in Belize can recall the BNTU ever being turned down when it called for time-off for its members to congregate on union matters. And no one forgets the times when the BNTU and the government crossed swords.
It is inconceivable that the government didn’t know what would happen after the announced raise for the Cab Sec and the CEOs. Is the government picking a fight? In respect to the BNTU, there are matters involving teacher training, retooling that is necessary so that they can better prepare our children and youth to function in these rapidly changing times. There are reports that not all teachers are compliant, willing to adapt, and this has caused some friction between them and MoE. On the surface, the MoE didn’t like the tone of the notice.
A government with a 26-5 majority might not know what to do with so much success. Does the government feel it is mightier than its 15,000 or so employees? Last year, the BNTU had a contentious election to choose a new president. Government might feel the rift in the group is too deep for them to come together. And presently, leadership in the main opposition party, the UDP, is still unsettled, so the party has little to contribute to the workers’ cause.
Today, it seems everyone is a PUP. But the seasoned PUP has to know that people are naturally and rightly suspicious of politicians, that people get tired of the same faces in office, and that a government is always one good strike away from falling out of favor, so it must be careful not to overstep. While the PUP victory at the polls in 2025 didn’t surprise anyone, they’d be naïve to believe their margin of victory is a real indicator of their popularity.
No one in their right mind wants these two elephants to lose respect for each other; no one wants them to rumble. The current matter is about salaries, and one month into the fiscal year, the budget is yet to be read. Government might be delayed because it is trying to find plums for its employees. The MoE said it didn’t like the tone of the teachers’ notice. On Wednesday, the teachers showed their muscle. For the good of Belize, the next move is for them both, the MoE and the BNTU plus allied unions in the JUNT, to meet at the negotiating table.