Earlier we told you about the sickout staged by the employees at the First Caribbean Bank, well they aren't the only one's upset with their management. Today workers at Global Solutions located in Ladyville were on strike because they didn't get paid! The workers were promised that they would be paid this morning at 10 but when that didn't happen - they got riled up and police had to be called in. When we got there officers were already leaving the compound and they told us they got everything under control.
Edward Broaster, Commander - Eastern Division Rural
"We were called for a disturbance that was occurring here and the information we received is the fact that some of the workers have not gotten paid. The management had explained to us that due to the Labor Day holiday and the 10th holiday, the wiring transaction from the US to the bank in Belize was screwed. But they assured us that today the workers will be paid. Wherever there is a potential threat of civil disturbance, the police must respond and we got a call this morning that there is a disturbance here at the company and we came to check it out and we are satisfied by the management that they will deal with the matter and that has been expressed to the employees as well."
But the employees didn't want to hear that - they just wanted their money. We spoke to a few of the workers off camera and they told us that this has been happening for too long and they won't take it anymore!!
Voice of: Disgruntled worker
"It's been like this every two weeks. The pay period is every two weeks. However the pay period cuts off at Friday and then we are supposed to receive out cheque on Wednesday. This Wednesday they came to us at 5:30. We get off at 5pm. Al of us were in the building waiting for our cheques and they came to us at 5:30 and said that they won't be able to pay us until Friday morning at 10am. Now 10am comes and nobody shoed us and so they came and say that the situation is going to be that they are going to give us half of the two weeks salary and then the other half will be in cheque posted. We can't do anything with that. If BEL comes to me and say they are going to cut out my light, I can't say that I couldn't pay because I only received half of my salary from work. It's ridiculous. We are literally fed up."
Voice of: Disgruntled worker
"Whenever we get we can't cash the cheque. They would say don't go at the bank because the money is not in the account yet. So we would have to go at the Chinese shop and now the Chinese don't want to change it because they say that the cheque is not good. Everything we get paid, it's something or the other."
Reporter
"Had this been brought up to management? Have you told them this?"
Voice of: Disgruntled worker
"Every time it's a problem and that's why we called for the media now."
Voice of: Disgruntled worker
"Every time it's the same issue when it comes to the cheques. You get a cheque and it bounces. You have to wait until the following week before you get your money change. Sometimes you go to them and explained to them that you can't get your money change. Then they will tell you that they can't do anything about that right now, you have to wait. But you need your money. Everybody has bills to pay. Every time it's the same issue and now it's just getting worse. This is the first step speaking to the media. If by this evening and we do not received our cheques, then I believe that no one would go into work Monday and we will have a strike outside the gate."
Some of the workers have not been paid for 3 weeks and one of the campaigns at the organization has been shut down. When we spoke to the workers this evening they told us that they have been paid but they got half in cash and the other in cheque - they still aren't happy with that because they have to wait to cash the cheque until the 18th.
Email
Print