| Last night, 7News told you about the meeting at the Bishop Sylvester Memorial Center in Belize City, in which the Waterfront Workers met with the other members of the Christian Workers Union to try to get their support to rally against Union President Antonio Gonzalez.
As we've reported, they're trying to get Gonzalez and General Secretary James McFoy to step down, and they had given him until midday yesterday.
But all indications are that he ignored their demands, and that the earliest date which he intends to step down is in March of next year.
So, we were imbedded in that meeting last night, we've prepared a short excerpt on the presentations made by the different speakers:
Raymond Rivers - Waterfront Workers Representative
"When was the last time Mr. Antonio Gonzalez and James McFoy ever submitted anything at all? Financial reports, being present at the jobsite - look at the conditions of the work, especially in Stevedores. That is why we have come to this point and say that it is time -- you used to do good for us but it's really time now."
Dion Ras Pitta - Waterfront Workers Representative
"Are you satisfied with Mr. Gonzalez and Mr. McFoy conducting business on your behalf? Anyone satisfied?"
Audience
"No"
Dion Ras Pitta
"Are you pleased with Mr. Gonzalez and Mr. McFoy for being informative and accountable to the members of the CWU? He reported to you all?
Audinece
"No"
Dion Ras Pitta
"Did he report to Central Bank, Social, DFC - did he report to any of the bodies that he represents? Because he didn't report to us. It's right for the members to be paying dues and are not getting feed back and are not getting feedback as to what their funds are being spent and used on. Do and of you think that's right? Do the members deserve the treatment that they are receiving from the CWU management and the executive?"
Audience
"No"
Dion Ras Pitta
"Who are the executive? We are calling on all the entities that Mr. Gonzalez and Mr. McFoy represents and to come bold and understand the fight because this is our fight. I am begging all the entities to come out and let us defend what is our rights and we will put people in place because we're all about accountability and transparency and that will create trust."
Leopold Smart - Spokesperson, Stevedores
"I had found out that from the time Mr. Gonzalez took over, has gone wrong with us. Mr. Gonzalez doesn't want to listen when we talk and he doesn't know anything about Stevedoring. Steverdore people have a legacy out here, something that cannot be changed. "
Attendant
"This case is one that I've been following very closely and I think that right now all of us in here know that these guys messed up - that is already on the back burner and now we need to look at where we are and how to move forward. Where we are depends on their position because you guy already have a collective bargaining and two we have a set of people that we need to get rid of. What we need to do is to find out legally and get it done so that we can deal with the people from port."
Attendant
"If we get the 2/3's support, who do we put in the interim - CWU represents a wide number of people from various establishment. How do you get these people to approach these people from the different establishment? Because everybody is seeing what is happening in the news but nobody has approached them and explain to them and put forward what is required."
Attendant
"He can go to the port and apply and say that two men that constitute the executive community are a legal body. My view - they are an illegal body, who elected them? When was the last time that election was held? That would be an application for an injunction - those things get around quickly but as you and I know we're talking about Supreme Court and that stuff can be expensive. So the ground work may require that we try to find out how many members this union has. This union has quite a number of members right? Marvin got up and talked about the way forward - we know we need to move forward. We are not here to take over the union, we are here to guide - people here who know us know that that's one the things we do. I was suggesting to the young lady that the proposal is to form an ADHOC committee to take over from them." | 