For months we've been reporting on the case of the terminated BWS employees. They are now suing their former employer for wrongful termination, and today it became clear that there is no settlement to be had - the matter will have to be argued in court. Attorney for 5 of the six terminated employees Antionette Moore told us that she'll see BWS in court!:..
Antionette Moore, attorney
"It's a matter we had hoped to settle. It has not, BWS came today and only today through their lawyer saying that they are not amenable to a settlement and wish for the matter to be set for trial and so that is what will happen now. I think there is no merit to their defense, absolutely none and so they are taking their chances before a court."
Moore says BWS did not entertain settlement proposals she put forward on behalf of the workers.
And while at court, we also had an opportunity to ask the terminated workers about an angry release from the former union, the BWS workers union. Seems that last week, when the terminated workers took to the airwaves they had some not so nice things to say about the Union president Lorelei Westby. Well, the union sent out a defensive press release, saying quote, "several former workers of BWS have been on a campaign to defame the Belize Water Services Workers' Union and its former president, Ms. Lorelei Westby …they had repeatedly expressed praises for the kind of leadership they enjoyed and the benefits received via such good leadership," End quote. It added that their, quote, "malicious actions…cannot be condoned."
Today we had a chance to ask them about this unusual release of a union making war with terminated employees:..
Jules Vasquez
"This is the first release we are seeing from that union when you are the executive vice president was fired, the union didn't have anything to say nor for that matter the NTUCB. How odd is that?"
Don Gillett, Former of BWS Employee
"You are the one telling me, its flabbergasting me as well. First time they choose to speak to attack us as opposed to what is really going on here."
Michael Novelo, Former of BWS Employee
"We are not attacking Ms. Lorelei Westby, we are attacking what she didn't do and you feel that it is attacking you then we have no problem but we are attacking what you didn't do - plain and simple. Each and every one of us here was paying our dues. We expect service and we didn't get it and because we are speaking out now we are the bad ones? Come on."
Westby is now the union's first Vice President and the release says that the current Executive affirms unconditional support for her.
