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Teachers’ Union Warns Ministry
posted (October 12, 2018)
The war of words over hardship allowances is escalating between the Ministry of Education and the Belize National Teachers Union. Today the Union sent out a release warning the Ministry not to take it lightly.

The release is headlined, "MOE's Disrespect Will No Longer Be Tolerated". It explains that the Union's email's to the Ministry asking for a meeting have gone unanswered for the past few weeks.

President Elena Smith explained today:...

Hon. Elena Smith, President - BNTU
"We've written to them on this matter, specifically on this matter of the re-categorization of schools and we've said to them that the matter is too large for us to discuss via correspondence. It has to be that we have a face to face discussion and I will give them their due. Normally they respond to us very quickly when it comes to emails."

Reporter
"So we are asking, a complete shift in the rate of interactions since you all had the press conference that Friday and then subsequent trip to Graham Creek. Would you say that?"

Hon. Elena Smith, President - BNTU
"Well, yes."

Reporter
"Those in the ministry feel that, I'll be honest with you, they feel that you told a lie on them. That you have turned a good-faith process into a bad-faith process. That is what they feel. I don't know if that's why they aren't answering their emails. But how would you respond to that? They say that you are knowingly mis-characterizing the depth and nature of truth of the consultations that the joint education staff relations council had about this hardship list."

Hon. Elena Smith, President - BNTU
"Had they not gone to the media to make certain proclamations, if you will, yes? We would have had to reason to respond to them. Just because they sent out an email and we didn't respond via that email to say we don't agree with X, Y and Z - that is why they are saying that we gave no response. That is not so. I gave our response in those meetings. So I didn't lie on them. They lied on us and we presented the facts."

And, in that same tone, the Ministry release ends by saying, quote, "the continued and blatant disrespect we have received….has been duly noted and will no longer be tolerated…we will not sit back and allow this Ministry to railroad these processes in order to achieve their bottom line." End quote.

Now, the Ministry has said it isn't trying to railroad anything. A statement from a spokesperson today said, quote, "A meeting of the Joint Education Staff Relations Council…was set for October 17th. All members informed of this by email on September 25th. The ministry remains open to accept the union's written submissions for consideration at the upcoming meeting." End quote.

Today the Union said they didn't know that's what the meeting was for and stressed, again that the issue is too voluminous to put in writing:..

Keesha Young, Executive Secretary
"We had no indications that the upcoming joint education staff relations council meeting would have been to discuss this matter specifically. We are just hearing that now from you, Jules."

Hon. Elena Smith, President - BNTU
"You won't do justice in written form. So its best that we sit, both parties, we discuss the matter and see - I can understand your point - I can meet you half way here - you meet me half way there - you agree on this and we try to do those things."

Reporter
"However, the ministry's position is that that is what they have been doing with you guys since April when the consultations of this joint council began."

Hon. Elena Smith, President - BNTU
"And we've said to them from then that we did not agree with the way they were doing it."

Reporter
"So now if the meeting goes ahead on the 17th as we expected it, are you all inclined to attend with that what you have feelings of disrespect ignoring your communications as you all feel they are doing?"

Hon. Elena Smith, President - BNTU
"We have never move away from attending these meetings because important matters affecting our teachers are discussed at those meetings. Now to say whether we would be able to conclude this matter on the 17th - that's a different question."

Reporter
"If the list is implemented as they say at the end of October, what would be your response to that?"

Hon. Elena Smith, President - BNTU
"Well, you would have to wait and see."

We'll see what comes out of next week's meeting.

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