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This time they're contesting PBL's pay cuts which stand at a 10% reduction for full time staff members. Protesters say that while they're aware of the Port's announced 25% loss in revenue, they simply don't trust the port and need to see the numbers before they can embrace any proposed austerity measures. Cherisse Halsall was at the protest:

Even through rain, stevedores and staff at PBL used their lunch hour to demonstrate in a united front against a 10% cut in their salaries.

Stevedore
"Management has taken advantage of us and we deserve to get our tenth percent back. And this is a start towards it."

Stevedore
"We can't just give up 10%, they already cut or increment and our bonus - we are not getting our 3% raise and you all are still telling us that you want 10%. Lots of us here at Port are single parent. Through this whole pandemic we we're working and then we understand that everybody needs a job. We don't mind to take a 10% cut, show us the financial booking that Port is in."

And these workers say that their industrial action will continue throughout the week. And if lunch hours prove to not be enough, they are prepared to ratchet it up a few notches.

Will Lambey, Chief Rep, Port Of Belize
"We believe as employees of the port that the port has that obligation to reveal its financial records, not to me, we have people who are trained in that to go in and look at the books and see the records. If the records states that yes the port has lost and are now in the red, we are reasonable people. We understand that the pandemic has hurt the whole of Belize. Be real with us, show us the records so for our own self to believe that this has been done. The level of trust that we had in the port of Belize has gone down the drain. We work here everyday, yes, but we don't feel that we are a part of this team. The port made a press release saying that they have lost 25% in income. Now you lose 25% of profit, you are still making 75% profit. So it's not that able to run the company and sustain us as employees to make our lives a better one. That's all we are asking for. We came to this conclusion we are asking over and over for the port management to have a discussion with us and they refuse to have that discussion with us. Now are involving the labour and the ministry to get in because that seems to be the only arm that can muscle them to have a discussion with us."

As you've seen the members were sufficiently incensed. The CWU President made it clear that the optics of the situation are not what they seem.

Mose Hyde, President, CWU
"We don't want this to be construed as if oh CWU is in the business of seeking out conflict or seeking out a problem, no, we will just not walk away from one when you are going to disrespect our members. We are not just going to give you a pass because well you have the cover of the pandemic. You cannot do that. When we speak to our members we have said to them, if we see where our request is facilitated, if we see we have a respectful relationship, we will come back to you and say listen these folks are being genuine. People of Belize, Media, I say this without apology the worst set of people to have and engagement with to represent workers and try to create a respectful relationship with for the time that I have been here and based on the records of CWU for a very long time has been the people here at PBL. We don't have spoil children at PBL, we have professional people who have been wrong and who have been treated unfairly and what they are demanding is fairness, justice and respect. That's all they want and in fact until they get that, the membership is committed to stay the course."

The CWU has presented its case and concerns to the Ministry of Labor and now awaits a Ministry chaired meeting with PBL in the hopes of finding a resolution a way forward.