There are new owners at BTL but the same old labour problem persists and suddenly relations that were cool now seem to be getting heated.
The union will hold a general membership meeting tomorrow evening after management sent them a letter today making it clear that collective bargaining negotiations can only continue if the union agrees to certain demands. With that ultimatum, a meeting that was planned for tomorrow is now in jeopardy.
And today may have seen previews of industrial unrest that could emerge. Today 7NEWS received reliable reports that a mass sick-out at the BTL orange walk branch office forced its closure. How many workers? Well it is not the 300 that crippled the company on March 25th but our sources say it was enough to close down the Orange Walk branch office since staff there did not show up.
This evening BTL Public Relations Manager Suzette Tillet told us that as far as she is aware most people showed up to work today. Tillet added that there was not an unusual amount of no shows. The Belize Communication Worker's Union which represents BTL workers says it didn't sanction any industrial action.