Last night we told you about the labor situation at the Vaca Falls Dam work site in Western Belize. 150 workers went on strike to protest what they say are unfair wages for treacherous work. Both Belizean and imported Nepali labourers were protesting and yesterday we visited to find out why. Due to the distance and the late breaking nature of the story, we couldn't air it all yesterday, but here it is now, the story of what it was like yesterday at Vaca.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
These are the workers at the Vaca Falls Dam Site, both Nepalese and Belizeans. They are hired by contractor Sino-Hydro. Both sides say they want more money from the Chinese company.
Worker #1
"I work at Sino-Hydro. Today I was asking for a raise and I got fired. I got $3 an hour."
Worker #2,
"Actually the reason we stand out here today is because we want a raise and we are already two days standing out here and still no raise so we will continue standing out here until they give us that raise or they pay us because they still don't want to pay us."
Alfonso Noble,
Why do you think you deserve that raise?
Worker #2,
"Because the kind of job we do, it is very dangerous. I would like you guys to go down there and see the kind of job and the altitude that we work. If somebody gets hurt, we won't get compensated because we don't pay insurance. It only our $3."
Worker #3,
"Our problem is to increase our salary."
Alfonso Noble,
"How much are you getting paid?
Worker #3,
"Right they are paying only US$0.65."
Alfonso Noble,
For an hour?
Worker #3,
"Yes."
Alfonso Noble,
That's not enough for you?
Worker #3,
"No, we need like Belizeans."
Alfonso Noble,
How much are they paying you?
Worker #4,
"One hour is sixty cents."
Alfonso Noble,
Sixty cents?
Worker #4,
"Yes but not everybody, some get fifty cents."
Alfonso Noble,
Why did you come to Belize?
Worker #4,
"To work."
Alfonso Noble,
Is it better here than where you come from?
Worker #4,
"Yeah."
Alfonso Noble,
Is the money better?
Worker #4,
"No but we are working for the same company in Nepal so we are thinking maybe we would have gotten a good salary."
Alfonso Noble,
But no good salary?
Worker #4,
"No good salary. They don't give good salary so its best we go back to Nepal."
Alfonso Noble,
What about your passports? Who has your passports?
Worker #4,
"The company."
Alfonso Noble,
You feel you're being taken advantage of?
Worker #5,
"Oh yes man, big time. So I think with the crowd we have, we are supposed to get something done."
And we tried but the personnel office was closed and the managers wouldn't speak.
Alfonso knocking on door.
Alfonso Noble,
I can't get an interview from you sir?
And there are a lot of questions. They say this is the drinking water and this is how food is delivered. And until those things and their pay are straightened out - these workers say the job site will continue to look like this.
That was yesterday and late word to 7NEWS today from the Belizean workers is that they got an increase to $3.50 an hour And they are happy with that and went back to work.
