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The dispute between the Port of Belize and the stevedores continues tonight and it seems it's only getting worse. As we reported last night, Port CEO Arturo Vasquez has turned to the Labor commissioner to try and solve this issue but it doesn't seem it will be that easy. This afternoon the CWU president Audrey Matura Shepherd and the Stevedores met outside the Port and by the looks of things – the stevedores are really getting fed up of the back and forth. Shepherd told us today that they are willing to go back to work and to negotiate BUT, they made it clear – they will not settle for anything less than what they say was agreed on.

Audrey Matura Shepherd - President, CWU

"We began negotiating what we call the retirement/pension benefit and we thought that went well. It took us about 5 or 6 hours that day but we ironed out, we asked the questions and we worked it out. The reason we had to do that is because the guys would not go back to work unless that was agreed on. We thought we had something concrete, we didn't write down all the details but we had an one page agreement in principle as to the amounts. Now throughout that negotiation it was clear cut that what we were dealing with is something that is retroactive to 2004; because there has never been an agreement."

Courtney Weatherburne

"But how is there this huge misunderstanding because when we spoke again with CEO Arturo Vasquez he said that there is no way that the port could ever agree to something like that because they can't afford it; so how come there's this huge misunderstanding of the agreement?"

Audrey Matura Shepherd - President, CWU

"I'm sorry but he's outright dishonest because I am telling you, there's absolutely no way the stevedores round that table would have made him get away with that."

'You know what he told us at a meeting before that? That he was prepared to say and do anything to get those men back to work. This is the price he's paying now. Now you are asking me, as the president of CWU, to tell over 120 men or more that you've worked for over 11 years and you can't expect a decent pension? Because what that 3 percent works out for some of those who have left already is only 800 dollars. After 11 years only 800 dollars, 1,000 dollars the most."

Courtney Weatherburne

"That's another issue he brought up as well in the press conference yesterday. He said that there is an existing pension plan and it has been increased from 3 percent to 6 percent. And he is saying that at least that is some benefit and the negotiation now is just to better that existing pension plan."

Audrey Matura Shepherd - President, CWU

"That is so dishonest. I even asked him that in the meeting, the last meeting I had. I said so, I've never heard about a plan, where is it? I went through all the documents we had, all the minutes, everything we have and there's none. Because in the past what they did, everything that was agreed in peace they signed. In 2004 was the only time there was a mention of a pension."

Courtney Weatherburne

"You mentioned ma'am the price he has to pay. Another issue that has been brought up and I'm sure you all and the stevedores know this that the strike and pretty much leading to the shutdown of the entire operations here at the port has serious grave business economic implications. Looking at the story we aired last night of Quality Poultry, many people pretty much the say, you the stall Christmas now, they won't be able to get their Turkeys. Quality Poultry told us about their plight as well involving this issue. Is there any way the stevedores are considering this? Or they're not really looking at the bigger business economic picture?"

Audrey Matura Shepherd - President, CWU

"Well first I want to say that our intention is not to make anybody inconvenient. The stevedores do apologise for anything that is collateral damage. That's definitely not the intention. And I understand you're saying that we're stalling Christmas but for 11 years their Christmas has been stalled."

Courtney Weatherburne

"Will the stevedores come back to work? Or will they continue to striking until CEO Vasquez confirms that the retirement/pension benefit is retroactive to 2004?"

Audrey Matura Shepherd - President, CWU

"It's very simple, it's in his hands. The ball is really in his court. He knows in his heart of heart and when he looks in the mirror that he has been dishonest. And I can say it publicly because I've said it privately to him. The ball is in his hand, he who's holding this nation at ransom because he was prepared to do any trickery to get gang number 6 back to work."

When we contacted CEO Vasquez, he told us that there should have been a meeting between the CWU and the labor commissioner this afternoon at 3:30 but that the CWU did not show up. And as we said things look to be getting worse – at this hour, police officers have been deployed to the area to maintain order – and when our camera left there 5 minutes ago, the stevedores and the cops were both keeping watch. Unconfirmed Reports to our newsroom suggest that the Port may be bringing in stevedores from outside – and the police could be there to ensure their safe entry. Reports tell us that there is a CFS cargo ship harboured at English Caye waiting to offload at the Port of Belize.