Since the beginning of this week, the stevedores have been showing their discontent with the Port of Belize by staging a go-slow on the loading of the
sugar ship. They say the port management is dragging its feet on the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement – and so they started
dragging their feet on the loading of the sugar ship. That came to a head yesterday when the Port Management decided to suspend operations and payments
relating to the loading of the sugar ship. We were at the port right after that:..
James Neal - Stevedore
"Beside that why we gone on go slow we need to get our CBA signed. For over 5 months the union tried to send letters to meet with the port concerning
the start to negotiate; and port said they got nothing from they, none and that is a lie. The union have proof that they sent letters to they and so we
mi done further put a notice to them that we will take more action if they no comply back to the union concerning the start to negotiate. And with that
we will start with go slow or if it has to go further we will strike. We decided to start the step by going slow first.
When we came in the night last night; from 6 to 7 we go in the night. They don't pay us, they told me they won't pay we and they decide that they will
shut down the work until further notice."
Mike Rudon - Channel 5 News
"So it's just right now that you all want the collective bargaining agreement signed?"
Jermaine Arnold - Stevedore
"Yea we need that because that is a big thing. It sounds like a small thing but a lot of things they behind it. We the ya for 11 years with they people
when we use to work with the agents solely; we use to get raise of pay every 3 years, next year will be 12 years. That's 4 raise of pay we miss and
they still want tell we that how they need to down size on the gang and all of that. I don't understand that, we lost so much and they want we give up
more and they don't want give we nothing. So we say we got enough of that and we the deal with this today. And from here go back until it comes with
right way."
Mike Rudon - Channel 5 News
"Make I get into that, so you all ready to stand strong until the collective bargaining agreement signed?"
Jermaine Arnold - Stevedore
"You go that right, 150%."
Elstwin Willoughby - Stevedore
"All stevedores have to come together now and make we put down our foot and make we take drastic measures; because this is a serious thing. We need for
our CBA signed so that everything could go smooth."
Jules Vasquez
"What do you mean by drastic measures?"
Elstwin Willoughby - Stevedore
"Well whatever we have to do, whatever. Whatever we have to do, whatever boss; whatever."
Hard talk on the outside, but inside their Union President Audrey Matura Shepherd toned it down – and got the Port to agree to go to the negotiating
table, while the stevedores would go back to work at full speed:…
Audrey Matura Shepherd - President, CWU
"Gentlemen, gentlemen we have very good news for you; excellent news. We get the 2 things we asked for. Stevedore will be paid their full salary for
the sugar barge, today; no salary cut out. That's one; two, we agree that you will go back to work 2 o'clock that is number 6 because they desperately
need to get the sugar out. So in return for make you agree to give back your labour, they agree to give full salary. I think that is a good deal,
right? And you will obey the rules, so we get one thing. And the next good news is that we have set a day to start negotiations. It is Friday, next
week Friday the 18th of September.
"Let us show good faith right? Show good faith; and so for now this could continue. Tell all the guys on the pier work continue as usual."
Reporter
"Is it a case where they realize that they were in the wrong? Or they felt the pressure from the stevedores?"
Audrey Matura Shepherd - President, CWU
"I don't think it's any right or wrong; but when it comes down to the nuts and bolts, it's about money. There's a sugar barge that needs to get out. If
the sugar doesn't get out BSI-ASR is affected dramatically. And you know how important that is, so that was a major factor. And the containers that are
being unloaded need to continue being unloaded. It comes down to money."
"What Mr. Tux and I agreed on just now is lets us not fight over the semantics, let us find a way forward and on that good faith we are prepared to
move forward. We have sent our proposal to them, they have not counter proposed; but like we agreed just now everything is on the table. We will thresh
out any semantics and details there. What is important is for us to start talking."
"We went into that meeting today and I would have never have gone without the stevedores present; because I am not there to represent myself, I am
there to represent the stevedores. So there is a level of trust and confidence and there is so much influence I can have over them and influence they
can have over me. At the end of the day we will work with mutual respect. So they know what we've been doing for them. And while people might expect
that we just broke up things; those years are gone. We will only reach that level if they are disrespecting and they could never get anything."
Mike Rudon - Channel 5 News
"Could you give us an idea of a time frame, a timeline in terms of when this CBA would be concluded? Or your hope for conclusion."
Audrey Matura Shepherd - President, CWU
"Well we're hoping that negotiations will take 1 to 2 weeks the most. Its clear cut what we want, either yes's or no's."
A release from the Christian Workers says that stevedores and bargemen would get full payment for the shifts already worked. Loading the sugar ship
resumed at 2:00 pm today…
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