The Nurses Association was also a part of the activities happening today - and have been noted in other protests over the past few weeks.
And while this essential service won't go on strike, they are showing their support with a go slow.
We told you yesterday that the go slow is planned for Wednesday, and the president Darrell Spencer told us today that it's about time the nurses' voices are heard since these frontliners are also affected.
And despite what they perceive as the threat of victimization, they will remain steadfast.
Darrell Spencer, President, Nurses Association
"We are here today to continue show support and solidarity with our joint unions. The nurses need to stand out with the crowd, together we can do this."
Reporter
"There are reports that the nurses are planning a go-slow for Wednesday, can you tell us more about that?"
Darrell Spencer, President, Nurses Association
"That has been advised - the nurses across the nation of Belize. I don't see this as a government that will take to protest, that will take to talk, that will take to any decent conversation. This seems to be a government that is hell-bent on doing things the wrong way. So nurses need to now step out and start showing that we are important in this discussion and that we are important in the progress of our country. We have instructed all nurses across the country that while we did o0ur work to rule and while we venture into a go-slow, the lives are wellbeing of our citizens are always at heart. We will never lose focus of that and we have instructed that a team is always there, nurses are always on the ward for emergency purposes. We will not sit by and watch our citizens or friend, or relatives die."
Reporter
"What does a go-slow look like then?"
Darrell Spencer, President, Nurses Association
"A go-slow looks like persons reporting to work and doing the least possible to stay alive, while they give high quality emergency care should it become necessary."
Reporter
"Are you nurses any of them facing victimization the ones who come out and protest?"
Darrell Spencer, President, Nurses Association
"I was asked that same question in a telephone conversation last night and the answer is always yes. Whenever you speak out - I've been in nursing for 30 years and whenever you speak out you face some form of victimization by the superiors."
This is the first time that the Association is embarking on this type of industrial action, and Spencer said he hopes it's not the last. He also hopes that in the future, if need be, the nurses will continue to march alongside the unions.
Reporter
"This is the first time (am I right) that the association is doing something like this?"
Darrell Spencer, President, Nurses Association
"That is so, but this is the first time that we are living 2021 where the prices of things are so high, the government continues to waste money and now we've lost increments again like we did in the 90s and now we are talking about another salary cut, so this is the first time for a lot of things, so its high time that the nurses take the first step to venture into a go-slow. We mean business."
Reporter
"If something like this happens again, because we know history repeats itself, can we expect to hear more from the nurses in the future?"
Darrell Spencer, President, Nurses Association
"Well I want to expect to hear more from the nurses in the present, but if history repeats itself I am sure that the nurses now are learning that we can do this and we can make change in this country and I hope that they along with myself and bukut will be right here again."
