It was called "Code Red": the BTL union's sudden, secret and sweeping plan to cripple BTL for one day and it went into effect this morning without any notice.
So what does the cryptic "Code Red" mean? The first to find out was BTL's management, which got the sense this morning when almost 300 BTL employees countrywide simply called in sick. By law, every Belizean worker is entitled to 14 sick days - so BTL management could hardly argue - but the "sick-out" - as it's called is really just a crafty way to effect industrial action without going through the red tape of 21 days notice.
7NEWS was first on the story last night - and Keith Swift has been following it all day he has this report.
Keith Swift Reporting,
It is about mid-day at BTL's St. Thomas Street Headquarters. Hundreds work here but its like a ghost as few cars are leaving and few are in the parking lot. It's a product of what the union calls "code red."
And at least officially this "code red" is not a strike - or any type of industrial action - Officially that is. In fact the union says it decided on this plan of action yesterday evening at an emergency meeting on the BTL multipurpose court.
And now today the union says it is nothing more than a coincidence that hundreds of their members, 282 to be exact, are sick. Union president Paul Perriot wasn't feeling well to go on camera but by phone today he told us this.
Paul Perriot, BTL Union President
"Our frustration with the management of BTL in not coming together in good faith for us to reach a conclusion, an amicable conclusion with regards to the collective agreement. We are in support of our members and staff in general who have today shown their displeasure. But we have not issued any industrial action. But the press release will detail what we will do in the near future if our voices are not heard and our directives not met."
And it might just work because this sickout as it is called seems to be crippling the green machine. The empty parking lots tell the story of the deserted offices and well it was next to impossible to reach a live operator today.
No one from BTL would go on camera saying it could further deteriorate relations between management and the union. But in a strongly worded late evening release the company said the union's action amounts to a "strike" and is illegal. The release also warned of penalties for this mass sickout. But union president Paul Perriot was unflinching and adamant that they are in the right.
Paul Perriot,
"The management knows that as per our collective agreement, we have in there that employees can take 12 sick days. We wouldn't call it a sickout but you can take 12 days without producing a doctor's certificate as long as its not in succession. So we can take one day, today, report back to work tomorrow, and we can again do it on Friday. That is according to our collective agreement, so none of the staff are in breach of that agreement."
Keith Swift,
"So will you and the other employees return to work tomorrow?"
Paul Perriot,
"Yes we will be at work tomorrow."
And when workers go back tomorrow, health restored they'll find that the "sick out" just may have gotten the attention that it was demanding because BTL's release urges the union to, quote "come to the negotiating table to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement." Still, a union release points to talks that have been stalled and deferred since June 9th of 2003. Failing what it calls urgent attention, the union says it reserves the right to consider industrial action.