Yesterday the compact between the 8 unions which comprise the NTUCB very nearly fell apart when the Teachers Union's General Secretary George Frazer announced that the teachers found government's proposals acceptable. For the teachers, those proposals to grant the increments on April 1st and roll back the taxes for a month looked like a win, but for the rest of the unions it did not. Last night at 8:30 after hours of reviewing and re-drafting the proposals the Trade Union Congress held a press conference that got very hostile for the BNTU National President Anthony Fuentes, here's the story.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
The room was full with a large and boisterous crowd of teachers and public servants who were eager to know "what next". And there to tell them were the leaders of all Trade Union groups were in attendance, the Christian Workers, the Water Workers, the Communication workers, the Energy Workers, the Belize Workers, the Public Service Senior Managers, the PSU, and the embattled BNTU whose General Secretary George Frazer was noticeably absent and left his President Anthony Fuentes to take heavy and sustained fire from a room overflowing with teachers and public servants who were concerned and militant that was made it clear when Fuentes said who his union stands with.
Anthony Fuentes, BNTU President
"I stand in solidarity with the National Trade Union Congress."
And while that earned cheers and wild applause from the room those happy cheers would soon subside as Fuentes made it clear that solidarity means moral support not physical, meaning the teachers have to go back to school.
Anthony Fuentes,
"In negotiations there are times you have to compromise, you win some and you also lose some. And a vote was taken by the Council of Management. A resolution was proposed and so after the resolution was proposed a vote was taken and the vote went 8 in favor of going back to school and 2 branches abstaining. Therefore by a majority vote, the Council of Management voted in favor of saying that teachers will be going back to school tomorrow Friday.
"Its an ongoing process. Not just because the teachers will go back into the classroom means that it ends. We have a team that will continuously review the expenditure and revenue of government. While the teachers were out, while they were on strike, the other people who were working, its time that the other people out there also take up the mantle. We have done our part, a vote was taken and that vote will stand."
But explain as he might - this crowd didn't want to hear it.
Audience #1,
"What we have is an anti-democratic constitution."
Audience #2,
"I would just like to say I'm a teacher and I cannot be out there in the demonstration as a teacher then I'll be out there as a citizen of Belize."
Anthony Fuentes,
"So we go with what our majority says."
Audience #3,
"I suggest that you ask them again."
Anthony Fuentes,
"That does not work like that, it does not work like that. These Branch Presidents represent their branches and therefore when they are voting, they are voting on behalf of their branch; that is our position."
Audience #4,
"The council of management should have gone back and ask if they are in agreement because this will cause a crumble in our union."
And while Fuentes came under fire from his own membership, his NTUCB partners couldn't do very much to support him.
Dylan Reneau, PSU President
"The President came up here and said that he is in solidarity with the Trade Union Congress. But you have to understand that there are others within the organization and we will carry on the fight."
Audience #5,
"Does 'we will carry on the fight,' mean it is okay for the teachers to return to the classroom and the head table, as we see it now, continue with negotiations without any hard feelings or is it okay yet we expect the teachers to continue backing this whole thing being out there on strike? I need the clarification."
Paul Perriot, BCWU President
"I must say from the NTUCB that we do support the teachers in their stance but I must say also that the sand fly union will kick in tomorrow so the students won't have no water nor the teacher will have no water tomorrow so might as well they don't show up to school anyway."
Mark Butler, BEWU President
"The paper clearly states that we have 8 unions under the NTUCB, even if the teachers went and the sign the document we haven't gone anywhere. We have one objective and we will stand together in the struggle. This is not about teachers folks, this is not about BEL, this is not about WASA, BTL, Belize Worker's Union, Public Service, it's about Belizeans."
And while the BNTU stands in solidarity, it will no longer stand on the frontline, Dylan Reneau says the PSU is now ready to take up that mantle.
Dylan Reneau,
"Certainly the membership is saying that and we will definitely dialogue with them, and they have said that they are out here for the long haul and not because the BNTU has decide to step back a bit we must stop the pressure. This has shown that the credibility is growing and the movement must go on. So our members are cognizant of that and they are saying that they are willing to put it all out there and continue this struggle."
Alfonso Noble,
So while the teachers take a break or take back and reassess, you will be at the forefront pushing?
Dylan Reneau,
"Remember the TUC is made up of 8 unions. Two of the bigger unions are certainly the BNTU and the PSU and sometimes, as I mentioned on the radio show this morning, if you believe that it is easy to manage a strike and to keep everything organized, it is a stressful situation and I understand what my brothers at BNTU were going through and they had to take a time, they were going to burn out. You have to understand, take a little time, rejuvenate, and maybe when I'm looking to burn out they come right back in. But there are all the other smaller unions, they call them the mosquito unions, who have an impact. The reality of the situation is that this thing won't stop."
