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Stevedores’ Abortive Attempt At CWU Congress
posted (October 28, 2013)
When we left you last week Friday, it was with the news that outspoken stevedore, Deon "Ras" Pitta would be offering himself as president of the Christian Workers Union in a General Congress Meeting, to remove Antonio "Pancho" Gonzalez and his general secretary, James McFoy. It has been an issue unfolding for weeks where the Stevedores and some members of the CWU, backed up by the NTUCB, want to replace Gonzalez because he's not held elections or presented financials over a decade, which is against the provisions of the constitution.

This weekend, the NTUCB oversaw that meeting, and 7News was there to see if they could reach critical mass to remove Gonzalez. Daniel Ortiz reports:

Daniel Ortiz reporting
At around 9 a.m., when we arrived at the Bird's Isle Basketball Court, there were very few members of the Christian Worker's Union members present. That was, after all, the scheduled start time of this General Congress Meeting, but with less than 20 people, it was hardly mentionable.

Everyone was clear on the meeting's intent; the stevedores were trying to force out current executive members, Antonio Gonzalez and James McFoy. But for that to happen, they needed 2/3 of the general membership to show up in order to call a valid congress meeting to elect new leaders. That meant that around 400 persons registered to the CWU had to be present Deon "Ras" Pitta, the man offering himself as President to replace Antonio Gonzalez, worked diligently to set up the event, and about half-hour later, other members of the union started to show up. It wasn't in the numbers that Pitta, and the Stevedores supporting him, needed to force Gonzalez out, but still, it was progress.

A full hour had passed by and still, the CWU membership wasn't anywhere to the required number it needed to establish quorum. Those who did show up made sure to sign in with the officials at the National Trade Union Congress of Belize, who would be overseeing these elections, should they be called.

Hope dwindled as the minutes went by, and finally, at around 10:30 a.m., the 2nd Vice President of the NTUCB announced to those gathered that the move to oust Gonzalez and McFoy had failed.

Marvin Mora - 2nd Vice President, NTUCB
"It is very clear to us that the majority of their union either is not interested in making the change that the NTUCB is recommending you guys have or that they don't want to be included in this meeting for whatever reasons. Either way it is showing us that they are okay with whatever status quo is at your union's management. For that reason the NTUCB can no longer continue to have the CWU as an affiliate because we have tried everything for years."

Adelida Guerra - 1st Vice President, NTUCB
"Letters and letters were sent to these people who were in charge and apparently they were not giving the affiliates that information. That's why we are here."

Member
"I am really happy to know that the stevedores have taken this situation very seriously. This is the first time I have seen stevedores come out in huge numbers to fight against Mr. McFoy and Mr. Gonzalez who they have elected."

According to the NTUCB, this lack of participation has been characteristic of union gatherings, where those individuals who make up the membership don't show enough interest until an issue is sitting right in their backyard.

Marvin Mora - 2nd Vice President, NTUCB
"It is very unfortunate that your membership does not see the need for them to take ownership of their union, but that should not surprise you. That has been something that we in the trade union leadership have been fighting for years. It seems to be that people in the country of Belize generally have a lack of interest in unionism."

The leading members of the stevedores then explained to the gathering what their plan was, which was to seek the court to force Gonzalez and McFoy out. The idea presented was to withhold their union dues and divert it to an attorney to file a special injunction against the current executive, to block them from being able to operate.

Marvin Mora - 2nd Vice President, NTUCB
"They are violating an extension of the law. Each constitution of every single union is registered and that becomes a legal document. They are violating a legal document that gives you powers/rights and privileges. They have already violated it by being at the helm of the union without having the proper procedure of elections in place every time the constitution calls for it."

Deon "Ras" Pitter - President Aspirant, CWU
"We have a draft in injunction ready. It is up to you all to put an automatic stop to Mr. Gonzalez. It carries a fee of $3,000 - $5,000. It is up to you all for that to go right away and then he has to come up with all the financials because it is the courts. Like what I have said that he doesn't have to answer to me."

Nelson Young - Member, CWU
"The injunction will be a special injunction. It will not take more than a week and nobody can challenge it to overturn it."

Francisco Zuniga - Auditor, NTUCB "The court always bear in mind that "while the grass is growing, the horse is starving" - when all your concerns are there prolonging, the court does not believe in that."

This idea was eventually endorsed by those present, and the NTUCB then called for a vote on that motion, which seemed to be unanimously accepted.

Deon "Ras" Pitta told us tonight that the decision on Saturday was unanimous to withhold to union dues, and to divert it to an attorney to bring a special injunction. Pitta told us that they are in the process of finalizing those preparations with the attorney.

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