And the Minister of Health was also in yesterday's meeting. While he refrained from commenting afterwards, today he explained some of the agreements that were made. One of them was that the union would be tasked with drafting a CBA within the next six months.
However, Minister Kevin Bernard pointed out that a lot of the union's concerns could have been worked out internally, rather than in the public arena, and that the protests will only hurt those that need help the most.
Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health
"Many of these things that were raised requires a collective bargaining agreement and so in the discussion we realize as well and they themselves have accepted, because one of the members, Mr. Tillett got up to say that he really appreciates the fact that I was able to be there to referee a meeting, because in reality that should have been a meeting that the union executive should have had with management. But I think it was also important for me to be there to get a first-hand understanding. But As I said some of the main points that they've raise mainly would have been address if there was an existing collective bargaining agreement. So what did we do? we agreed at the end of the meeting that the union will be given 6 months. They already had 6 months. The board had already approved a 6- months from July last year for the now president to have draft a CBA to come to the board with it."
"Remember that the president of the union sits on the board, so he should raise these issues or concerns at the board level. In some instances, some of these things have not been raised at the board level, because it has to go through necessary process. So we ended with that fact that we would agree in 6 months' time the union will bring to the management a draft collective bargaining agreement working along with the labour department, working together with management and the board to try come with an amicable draft that both parties can sit down and iron the things out. It relates to the other matter that they brought up in terms of shortages and quality of medication and medical supplies. That was also an issue that could have easily been addressed if they had done the right processes and it was obvious that some people prefer to have gone with certain things to the media as supposed to do the right reporting that needs to be done. They need to do a quality assurance to every item they use within the hospital setting and so if that was done properly, the quality assurance unit who have been working very closely with the ministry drug inspector unit and our CMS - having been working very closely. So if certain things that have been raised on their letter was done in the right manner, many of these issues would not have been out there."
"I was called this morning that the union has agreed that they will continue with their industrial action that they had listed out which means that today and tomorrow they would have been going to the hospital in short pants and that on Friday they will do sickouts. On Monday their intention is to do a complete walkout."
"I find it a bit disappointing, because I felt that we engage them in the process to let us work together and find a solution to the concerns that they have raised and just like everything I think genuinely when you really sit down and look at the situation, these are the things that could be easily solved at the lower level and so I am hoping that better heads will prevail and that they will really take a sit back and understand what we agreed to and don't necessarily have to go through this. At the end of the day, it is the people who requires the service that are being affected. So while one will say oh we don't have the necessary tools, the necessary resource, but then if you are walking out, you are leaving patients unattended. You are disenfranchising those same Belizeans you say you care about."
And while the government side and the hospital administration, is pushing back, Union president Baird said the plan of action continues tomorrow as planned because they believe the KHMH admin is engaging in union busting. So, shorts again tomorrow, possibly go slow on Friday.
