When we left you last night - work had stopped on the sugar ship at the port of Belize - and the stevedores were demanding meetings leading to a labour agreement with Port management.
Well tonight, the news is that the stoppage is over: half an hour ago work resumed on the sugar ship called Hanna C. The stevedores returned to work on the understanding that they would get a full days pay for Tuesday when work stopped after only five hours.
Now, truth be told, that same understanding was reached yesterday with the Stevedores but it was quickly abandoned when the union leadership walked outside the port and got properly braced by a boisterous membership - which wanted more.
But today, senior stevedores and the Christian Workers Union were called to the Labour Office to have a civil discussion with the Labour Commissioner.
And, cooler heads prevailed - they agreed to accept basically the same agreement which had been shot down yesterday. A press conference was held early this afternoon and here's what they told us:..
Ivan Williams - Labour Commissioner
"I was able to contact management who have also agreed to the proposal made by the union that is by 4 this afternoon, the stevedores who worked on the 26th June when there was this industrial action will be paid 8 hours of work and their two meals and furthermore that they will resume work at 6pm this evening and that the work will resume under normal conditions meaning that there should be no go-slow."
Antonio Gonzalez - President, CWU
"When the port of Belize stops the work or BSI stops the work out there, they should be paid a full 8 hours. It's not in a sense that we have gain something, but that we have established that they must be paid."
Jules Vasquez
"Mr. Gonzalez/Mr. McFoy are you all confident that you all will be able to sell this agreement to your membership especially with the more militant elements in that membership?"
Ivan Williams
"I raised that concern Jules because that is precisely what happened yesterday evening. Certain members were authorized to go in and have a meeting, certain things were agreed and then it was rejected them."
Jules Vasquez
"If I am not mistaken this same thing was agreed."
Ivan Williams
"Yes with some little modifications."
Jules Vasquez
"Except for the lunch and the evening meals?"
Ivan Williams
"That was agreed too."
"I am concern about it but I am hoping that there is a certain level of assurance that what happened yesterday will not repeat itself."
Antonio Gonzalez
"Our stevedores are people who are voice-rous, what happen at this meeting today is some of the same people who were voice-rous today - participated in the process today and as such they gave their views, their concerns and so that was taking into account and base on it in particular the position of moving on with the negotiations."
James McFoy - General Secretary, CWU
"At times leaders or executives have to take a position and a stand, so what we did this morning and agreed to this morning was to say whosoever are not in agreement we might have to try to convince them, but the process must continue."
Antonio Gonzalez
"On the 11th July we are supposed to meet to continue negotiations because again the CEO is out of the country. So again you see that position where they stall negotiations."
Ivan Williams
"It was agreed both by the management and the Port of Belize Limited and the union that that meeting set for the 11th will continue as agreed but that at that meeting the parties will first seek to set in place schedule dates for negotiations and a time frame for the conclusion. In other words they will be the ones to work that out. It was also agreed that I be present at the meeting to assist the parties at that process. There is not an agreement for the dates at this time."
James McFoy
"We are here, we believe and we are saying again that we are prepared to negotiate even on Saturdays and Sundays to get this thing concluded as quickly as possible."
Antonio Gonzalez
"The intention is that the union is to commit by the 7th August, it could finalize before that but by the 7th August."
Jules Vasquez
"Are you able through your offices sort of compelled them to move towards that August 7th deadline? Which I will note I heard them say, but I didn't hear you say it."
Ivan Williams
"I am glad you raise that Jules because I am not saying that. That is a proposal coming from the union. What I did say is that on the 11th that is one of the issue to be worked out between the parties in terms of the dates and the time frame."
So now, all attention turns to the meeting on the eleventh July.
The Port Of Belize today issued a release saying that, quote, "These unexpected and surprising actions by the stevedores and the CWU create unnecessary disruption to a process which, in the view of the port management, is progressing as discussed and planned by both parties."
