7 News Belize

Labour Commissioner Slightly Circumspect
posted (September 23, 2015)

Last night, we told you about the apparent break in the deadlock between the Christian Workers Union and the managers of First Caribbean Bank on how to negotiate the exit packages for the 60 bank employees who will lose their job when First Caribbean leaves Belize.

That interview happened only moments before news time, and so tonight we have a bit more from it for you. The Labour Commissioner was very careful to point out that his office was instrumental in trying to start the dialog on how they would meet, and not about the actual negotiations that need to take place:

Ivan Williams - Labour Commissioner

"I was not able to look at the proposal because the purpose of this meeting was merely to get them to agree to a date when they are going to negotiate. The labour department does not participate in negotiations; that is for the parties. So we are just to help them arrive at a date and the agenda of the matters to be discussed; which there were at odds in terms of where do they start, which matter to be discussed first and so on. Also there were some issue in relation to the collective bargaining agreement. Whether there should be a discussion for a full CBA or whether there would be certain articles within the CBA that needs to be discussed. So they have also agreed that there will be article 18 and article 22; which has to do with the salary and the redundancy of employees, which I believe will help in the process of arriving at a package, if and when the transaction takes place between the two banks."

Audrey Matura Shepherd, President - CWU

"What we're doing is trying to negotiate in good faith to make sure that we get what would be right for the workers at the end of the day. We believe that the vesting act is leverage for the bank already; for both banks. We can't undo that, those were powers beyond us; but from our end the right thing for us to do is update our members with all that has taken place, given them details we cannot give to you all and for us to remain optimistic that the bank genuinely wants to ensure that when they leave Belize, they don't leave with a bad name. And they just don't look at the employees as, oh just other 60 employees; but its 60 head of households. We've said that many times and we want people to put a face to the reality of 60 head of households, who are earning for their family; and all whom have financial obligations. And especially who also have loans with the bank. We are just being practical at this point to make sure that whatever we do, we try keep their best interest because at the end of the day, clear cut it's only the union that will look after the interest. They are our members and that's our job."

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