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But it's now accompanied by a theme song, one that the CWU blared through Yarborough, Regent, and North Front Streets as their staff members and Stevedores marched in solidarity for the wages and benefits they believe they deserve. Cherisse Halsall was in the crowd.

They started out from the Port of Belize this morning. Stevedores and Staff united in their united front to convince the Port of Belize to give them what they deserve.

And while Stevedores already won their victory with a fully ratified CBA, they were, nevertheless, front and center at this morning's "Hear Our Cry" protest, an event meant to send a clear message ahead of the start of the staff's negotiations. We got some projections on those negotiations from staff rep Will Lambey.

Will Lambey, Staff Chief Rep, Port of Belize
"We hope to have a successful negotiation. We hope that people are cordial and respectful and that the request that the workers have will not be deemed as unreasonable but to see that indeed that what we have started some sixteen years ago with a midday protest has now yielded great success for the stevedores and so we too of the staff of PBL expect to have similar results."

Cherisse Halsall:
"Now sir the major issue on that day when the police attacked the workers were the firings of 30 something people from the port, tomorrow will it be on the table for them to get their jobs back?"

Will Lambey, Staff Chief Rep, Port of Belize
"Yes definitely we sent a request let me not call it a demand but we sent a request to the Port of Belize and that is one of the requests that we have on the table. that those people who were unlawfully terminated be reinstated."

Also dutifully marching along was the CWU's ever-present president Mose Hyde. This morning he was celebrating unity and the hard-won fight to achieve it.

Mose Hyde, President, CWU
"Today represents a kind of statement that we are still in this together and to making sure that we do our very best for our members and stand in solidarity."

"I know how long it has taken for that kind of unity and cohesion to be built so I give thanks to the brothers and the sisters who have been in the center of that try to mend divides and build bridges, especially in a time when it's needed because they've both been up against some very strong forces so we know that the Stevedores have been able to have a very important historic occasion yesterday, but the staff has a journey ahead of them a struggle ahead of them and we need to be able to say we are in this together."

And while we're used to hearing from Hyde we got this sentiment from union member, Mark Staine who's been a victim and a witness to worker's struggles for over 43 years.

Mark Staine, Assistant General Foreman, #5 gang
"We were not united because the staff used to suffocate us due to the amount of money that we make. They used to think that they could do anything to us but they are on the same road that we are traveling through now and they get with us now and we are in solidarity with them and they've shifted their course of being suffocating to us."

That may have been true in the past but it's shifting with difficult economic times forcing workers to abandon their so-called crab mentalities in order to forge ahead.

It's a message that is resounding in all corners, gaining widespread support from the politician to the everyman, and as the march turned onto Regent street we picked Labour Senator Elena Smith out of the crowd to ask her why teachers have pledged their support for the CWU.

Elena Smith, Labour Senator
"We can think of the matter of disrespect you know union-busting, all of these are general across all unions and so many unions can say that they have experienced some of these same issues and so it gives us that sense of solidarity that sense of fighting for the same cause when we join with these kinds of situations."

Cherisse Halsall:
"How do you think the images that were captured out at the port that day have affected public support for this movement?"

Elena Smith, Labour Senator
"I think it has helped. I'm sure they would have expected more but you know thinking about or considering all of the issues that they are having, i'm sure they're happy with the support today."

Today's march was a success for the CWU and yet for many of its members, those who make up the staff, the real work starts tomorrow.

Will Lambey, Staff Chief Rep, Port of Belize
"Tomorrow is to set the groundwork and set the parameters of how the negotiation will basically go, however we are making some small requests prior to the negotiation of the CBA that is one of them, the reinstatement of the employees, and also that 10% that was unlawfully deducted, that we get back our money in rebate and we had a few others that we also requested PBL to honor so the MOU that we'll be discussing tomorrow will bring those salient points out and based on that negotiation then we have also made a request that if these negotiations are not met by Wednesday then the staff will have another caucus and decide what will happen next."

At its peak, we estimate the crowd at 250 persons.