BELIZE CITY, Thurs. May 27, 2021– The unions are collectively engaging in their fifth week of protest against the government of Belize. The Belize National Teachers Union and the Public Service Union have staged multiple demonstrations in an effort to induce the government to reverse its decision to reduce public workers’ salaries by 10% and to fast-track the implementation of good governance legislation.

This industrial action has had the backing and collective vigor of the union’s membership, who, despite the difficult economic times, have opted to face the prospect of docked paychecks in order to get their message sent to the Briceño administration.

While the Government does not directly pay teachers, the management of the schools at which the teachers are employed are reportedly being directed to ensure that salaries for teachers who continue to protest beyond May 14 are docked. This means that if those teachers remain outside the classroom (virtual or physical) for the rest of this week, their end-of-month salary, which is expected to be issued on Monday, will be short of 11 days of pay.

The obvious concern is how long teachers will stay outside the classroom and be subjected to the docking of their salaries.

The BNTU thus wrote to the managing authority of government schools on Monday, May 25, to request that they consider not cutting the salaries of the teachers who remain outside the classroom. The BNTU has expressed its hope that they will understand the teachers’ fight for good governance and reminded the members of the managing authority of the efforts made by those educators.

The PSU, on the other hand, has said that they may hold a telethon to collect funds to buffer the finances of its protesting membership.

That union will soon hold its Annual General Meeting, at which an election for a new president is expected to take place. Unconfirmed reports are that the current PSU president, Gerald Henry, has decided to not throw his hat back in the race, as the senior union members have seemingly unanimously endorsed the union’s 1st vice president, Dean Flowers, for the post of president.

The AGM, which will include the election of officers, is expected to take place over the weekend, with new leadership of the PSU possibly being announced before next week — all amid the ongoing trade dispute with the Briceño administration.