And so, while that is the position of the Belize Energy Workers Union, this evening the Manager of Corporate Services granted us an interview. She explained that the company is indeed considering that these employees have given 20+ years of service to the company. They've subsequently made attempts to get them trained to fill different positions but these employees refused. Here's how the company representative explained their version of events:
Dawn Sampson Nunez - Manager, Corporate Services - BEL
"In 2012 the company had given notice to the employees involved that the company would commence remote operations of the gas turbine facility. In giving that information, the company at the same time offered the employees involved the opportunity to be trained so that they would be able to take on job opportunities in the company - trained them and get them prepared for other opportunities within the company. Unfortunately that offer was rejected back in 2012 and you will recall if you go back to your news archives that the matter was escalated to the labor commissioner and thereafter to the minister of labor. Since 2012 up until now we've been in mediation. So instead of using that time for training and getting them ready for this point where we are commencing the remote operations we were dealing with mediation and that's very unfortunate."
"At the conclusion of the mediation process there was a memorandum of agreement that was signed. In that agreement it notes that the plant operator positions would be made redundant and the effective date of that will be May 17th. In that agreement BEL also notes its commitment to give the 4 employees involved the first right of refusal for any job vacancies that become available after May 17th that they are qualified for. So that commitment reflects the point that I made at the start of this interview. These are not employees that gave a year or two or even three, four, five years of service - 20 years of service. So we noted that commitment in the memorandum of agreement."
That memorandum of Agreement Sampson-Nunez was referring to was signed by BEL, the Belize Energy Worker's Union, and the Minister of Labour. As noted in the interview, even though management claims the 4 employees refuse the opportunity to be trained and re-located to other positions in the company, they will still be given first consideration for any suitable positions which may open up.
The gas turbine plant will remain open and it will be run remotely. BEL says this will be more cost and operationally effective. The union says the remote operation is unreliable - and when it fails, these same operators have to start it manually - if they aren't there in that event, the consumers suffer.
BEL says that although the remote operation of the Gas Turbine plant is not without its flaws, it is the best option available to the company.
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