BELIZE, Fri. Mar. 19, 2021– To express support of the stance of the Joint Union Negotiation Team in response to Government’s proposed salary cuts, the membership of the Public Service Union (PSU) staged a lunch-time motorcade across the various municipalities in Belize.
“It was a solidarity motorcade, and it was done primarily to bring us together and to get a feel for where we are in response to how our members feel about the current proposal, and it also reflects their support to the Joint Negotiation Team that is currently in consultations with government.” 1st Vice-President of the PSU, Dean Flowers explained.
Since the public service and the government are in no trade dispute at this time, public service employees are forced to show their support outside work hours. This is the reason for the mid-day motorcade protest. Flowers said that they were granted a permit for a 40-vehicle motorcade and that the union membership stayed within that limit.
He thanked members who came out in support on Friday and called other members to take a stand when they are called upon.
“For those who didn’t come out, I want to say to them that this is also for you. This is not the first time or the last time that we’ll call for a solidarity call. Despite having on your yellow shirts you will also need to start hitting the pavement when and if that time comes,” Flowers said.
Flowers shared that while they await the government of Belize’s formal response to their counter-proposal, the union will continue its “Yellow Fridays” and its solidarity movement. He also alluded to activities in the pipeline organized by the Joint Unions.