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That's what we asked their attorney, and here's how he put it:

Eamon Courtenay, SC - Attorney for BNTU
"All of that is very interesting, because nobody is talking to the teachers. As I understand it, the government who doesn't employ teachers is interfering in the teachers' conditions of work. The education rules are very clear about when holidays are to be held. There's no doubt about that and the teachers are entitled to their holiday. In so far as the fact that there are days to be made up, that is not a matter for the government, for the chief education officer, or for the minister of education, that is the matter for the teachers and the managing authorities. I have to say that it is rather surprising that here is a situation where teachers have always indicated that they are prepared to look at this issue and to have a discussion with their employers as to how this matter is to be resolved. There is no attempt by the employers to speak to the teachers but the government is driving an agenda with the managing authorities dictating to the teachers what is going to happen. That seems to me to be a course that is ill-advised, it is a course that the union has never advocated. The union remains open to discuss with their employers, who are the managing authorities, a constructive way of dealing with this. I want to be very clear, the union and the teachers have the interest of their students uppermost in their minds, but there is a question of principle here. There's a question of respect and there is a question of procedure. The government of Belize cannot dictate to teachers when they are going to work and when they are going to get their holidays. I would like to encourage the managing authorities to dialogue with the union as representative of the teachers and have this matter resolved quickly. We are heading to another industrial dispute; it should be avoided."

So, if you still aren't clear if the teachers will show up, we tried again with the Union's First Vice President. Here's what she had to say:

Daniel Ortiz, 7News
"Are your clients, the teachers, going to honored this January 3rd date that they should show up for work come the new year?"

Eamon Courtenay, SC - Attorney for BNTU
"You're asking the teachers to disregard the education rules? You're asking the teachers to be ordered by the government of Belize what to do? The answer is emphatically no. I don't understand why it is that the government believes that this is the way you treat teachers. This is the lack of respect that they have for a union and teachers. What business is it of theirs? There are managing authorities, there are rules and there are teachers that are represented by a union. Nobody believes that they have to speak to the teachers simply like infant children, you tell them what to do without a discussion."

Daniel Ortiz, 7News
"It's still unclear to us, we understand the position of the union and the teachers. It's still unclear to us if teachers will show up January 3rd."

Adelaida Guerra, 1st Vice President, BNTU
"We are to go back on the 9th of January, that is the prescribed time for our vacation. To us it all depends on the teachers to be able to stand up for their right. I am appealing to them, to stand up for their right. We are supposed to go back on the 9th and that's when we are going to be going."

Daniel Ortiz, 7News
"Once again the union will be blasted for supposedly suggesting irrational and reckless actions by staying out of school until January 9th."

Adelaida Guerra, 1st Vice President, BNTU
"In all of this situation, teachers have never been consulted. We have not been consulted as whether we were agreeing to take out holiday time or whether we are going to work more hours, we have not been consulted. We have all the right if we choose to stay out, to stay out. Teachers are the ones who are going to be doing that extra hours of work, who are going to be doing whatever other work that needs to be done to be able to make up."

We'll keep following the story, to see what the position is at the end of next week.