And while Castro was "slinging" sal' beef to lighten the mood at the
Port, there was already a sour taste in the mouths of Port workers -
from that salty port press release we've been telling you about all
night.
That press release from the Port called the protest vandalism and
another in a series of illegal strike actions. Tonight, the CWU says
that they are distorting facts and reality, and they ought to retract
their press release.
Less than a half-hour ago, the union sent out its own release saying
quote,
"CWU unreservedly rejects PBL's baseless and scurrilous pretentions
at victimization by CWU. In truth, it is CWU and our Members who
have been victims of PBL's long-running and unconscionable abuse!
At this juncture, PBL should redeem itself and do the honourable
thing by withdrawing its press release and apologizing."
End quote.
Apart from responding to the Port, the union says that it is getting
ready to take legal action against the management. The President
explained why this afternoon, during their daily, lunch-time protests
at the Port's entrance:
Evan "Mose" Hyde - President, CWU
"We have our own cases that we are in the middle of the building, some
very important cases, and that work is being done as we speak. In this
process, you have to understand that the result of a court case is
important. We don't know how it's going to go. But either way, what we
have said to our members that our fight for justice for them starting,
with the 36 members who were allegedly terminated by text message is
one that we're going to challenge the validity of it to the end.
Because there is going to be a court in our judiciary, based on the
available evidence that we have, that what took place there was a
violation of the highest degree, union-busting, and unlawful
termination of 36 hard-working people. So, that is the preparation and
the type of journey that we are collectively gearing up for. On the
matter of the 10%, since they have refused to be a part of the labour
tribunal, again, we are committed, and not only committed but also
convinced [that] there is going to be a court that says, you cannot
take away a worker's earnings. There is basic protection of wages,
without you getting that consent from that worker. So, we stand on that
as well. We definitely stand on the fact that our collective bargaining
agreement, specifically in black and white, gives us the authority to
request financial documents from PBL. It's in black-and-white, to
preserve good industrial relations, the PBL shall - how do you like me,
Audrey - SHALL provide all financial documents, as far as a reasonable
request, to maintain good industrial relations. We cannot leave
unaccounted the fact that there seems to be ambiguity about the use of
the paramilitary - which we now know exists, because it was said so by
the Commissioner. We cannot leave unaccounted the ambiguity that exists
about who gave that order. And so, we have to pursue that legally for
all our members who endured the effect of that response, especially
those who were injured."
In tomorrow's news, we'll have the outcome of the injunction
application which the Attorney General's Ministry has brought against
the Port of Belize.
Email
Print