7 News Belize

Political Leaders Grappled With Labour Law Changes
posted (August 17, 2020)
And, on Friday in the House, you could almost see the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition struggling with the amendment which is very odd. It allows workers to go for shifts in excess of 24 hours, which the human body cannot endure. Now, this is only under special circumstances and with the agreement of both parties - as happens at the Port of Belize. The Leader of the Opposition said the length of the shifts almost defies comprehension:

Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"For instance I know that when the ships come to load the sugar, I know it takes them at least 46 or more hours. Does that mean that one gang is going to be working for 46 hours and will they be paid for triple time? I don't see how a human being can work for 46 hours non-stop."

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"The leader is right, they can go for 40 plus hours, but they will, from what I am told, make some arrangement to do rotation within the same gang as opposed to having one gang leave after 15 hours and another gang takes its place. We had to do this because as it were Port of Belize Ltd. was able to rely on this to say simply the gang that commences the unloading must be stop completely at the 15 hour mark and a new gang come behind and CWU said that's not what in our collective bargaining agreement, so we are providing this huge window for which the union can possibly jump."

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