The strike may be over soon as well as it may not. At this time the leaders of the 8 unions which comprise the Trade Union Congress are meeting at a secret location in Belize City to consider government's latest proposals. These new proposals would give the teachers and public servants their full raise in April, and roll back the new taxes for a month. If they do accept the proposals, the strike will be over. But significantly, the Teachers' Union Council of Management comprising all the branch leaders, has decided that teachers in 8 of their branches, not all 10, will return to school tomorrow. That seems to considerably change the dynamic as the union leaders meet to discuss the proposals.
The proposals were arrived at after a four hour meeting last night at the Supreme Court Law Library with government's new negotiators, National Development Minister Assad Shoman and Financial Secretary Dr. Carla Barnett on one side and the union leaders on the other. A provisional arrangement was made at that meeting and today at noon Shoman and Barnett delivered it to the unions in writing at the BNTU office in Belize City, complete with a signature from the Prime Minister. Keith Swift has been tracking developments at that office all day and found that what looked like it was going to be a resolution turned into a testy back and forth which ended with the unions standing divided.
Keith SwiftReporting,
TV, radio, and the print media were on a stakeout outside of the conference room in the BNTU office from around 11:30 this morning. Behind the closed doors were Minister Assad Shoman and Dr. Carla Barnett for the government along with the management council of the Trade Union Congress. A breakthrough was apparent and confirmed when NTUCB General Secretary George Frazer emerged with the final copy of an agreement drafted by GOB.
The two page agreement which agrees to roll back the taxes and to give the promised raise was drafted by government and already signed by the Prime Minister but it needed signatures from the Trade Union members. But as the morning turned into afternoon that would be easier said than done. The Trade Union leaders left the conference room and met in a mini-caucus in the BNTU's computer lab where there was some sort of discord as shown here between PSU President Dylan Reneau and George Frazer. And while Reneau defiantly sat down during the deliberations even after being coaxed by Frazer it could still be seen clearly through the glass window that there was no consensus between these leaders. Frazer was however still optimistic when he emerged and spoke to the media.
George Frazer, NTUCB General Secretary
"There were just one and two little concerns."
Keith Swift,
So will you be signing this agreement today?
George Frazer,
"You will hear in a while Mr. Man."
It would be more than a little while because after further deliberations in the computer room and at the insistence of PSU members who gathered downstairs, Senior Counsel Lois Young-Barrow from the Association of Concerned Belizeans arrived to provide legal counsel to the unions. Young-Barrow advised and Frazer walked out visibly annoyed.
A few minutes later Minister Shoman and Dr. Barnett who were stuck waiting in the conference room since morning were about to leave and before they did, they gave Zenaida Moya an ultimatum.
Zenaida Moya, NTUCB Vice-President
"A time was informed and yes you are accurate by saying 5 hours, but I must say that the NTUCB will never just accept an ultimatum like that. As much as we respect the Government of Belize, we are here and we are reviewing this document in good faith and the government needs to respect us and give us the time to review this. This is a lot of unions we are talking about."
And on his way out, Government's new leader negotiator Assad Shoman says the ball and the agreement was left in the hands of the unions.
Assad Shoman, Government's Negotiator
"Government agreed to the position and it is now the unions that are in discussions to decide whether they in fact have won the agreement of all their members or not."
Keith Swift,
The unions say they feel they are being rushed into signing this document because the Prime Minister has already signed it and its just...
Assad Shoman,
"The Prime Minister signed it as an indication that he has agreed to it, that his Cabinet has agreed to it. I don't see what is the problem. Why do I have to repeat that what I took was the union's position? If there was a change, and then we were trying to pressure the unions to sign quickly, I could understand that point but there's been no change; exactly what I took from the unions, the government agreed 100%."
Jannelle Chanona, Channel 5
So if that date has to be changed then you will have to go back to Cabinet and get a mandate for a new date? Is that what you are saying?
Assad Shoman,
"I don't know that I'd have the credibility to do that because here I go to Cabinet and I am telling you, from myself and Dr. Barnett, that is what they say they want and then Cabinet said 'fine.' Now if I go back to them (Cabinet) tomorrow and say guess what, they want something a little different please agree to that. Fine I go and come back and I might have to go back Monday and say they want something else. I'd have no credibility in that position so what I've done I think is the best that myself and Dr. Barnett have been able to do."
Keith Swift,
Was government forced into agreeing to these proposals given the threat of a national shutdown? Were you guys forced into a corner?
Assad Shoman,
"Well you'd have to ask the government that."
Keith Swift,
But you are a part of the government.
Assad Shoman,
"I am a part of the government but don't forget that I am not a part of the politics of this thing."
Keith Swift,
Do you feel that your hand was forced?
Assad Shoman,
"No, I don't feel so. I don't think so at all. I mean in negotiations there is always give and take, that is the only way a negotiation process can succeed and sometimes it takes a little time for the issue to really come. I think what happened yesterday was that we faced squarely what is the issue. We agreed that there is a dispute between the unions and the government and we agreed what the nature of that dispute was, I think that was the important thing."
But the most important thing was said by Financial Secretary Dr. Carla Barnett in response to a question on where the money will come to pay for the full salary increases.
Dr. Carla Bennett, Financial Secretary
"What we actually agreed with the unions last night is that they will sit with us and tell us what we will cut from other parts of the budget to be able to meet the extra money that we'll find for the salaries. So its not that we're adding to the budget, the bottom line remains the same, it is about re-allocating the funds already approved in the budget. The agreement is providing for a team to be set up to work through that process so that's a very straightforward and technical way..."
Keith Swift,
So where will the money be coming from?
Dr. Carla Barnett,
"The unions have to give proposals for that and we have to sit and work them through but it has to be before the beginning of the budget year."
And while other union leaders continued to deliberate, George Frazer emerged with a decision from the BNTU.
George Frazer,
"8 of the 10 branches voted, except Belmopan branch and Belize City branch who abstained, they didn't vote against it. They said they need a little more time to go back and consult with their membership."
Janelle Chanona,
School will be opened tomorrow?
George Frazer,
"Well all those branches that voted yes and the others are trying to see how early they could arrange meetings. Our BNTU representative from all the branches were here and so they voted and that's the decision. Whether there is a demonstration or not Friday, BNTU will not participate."
Keith Swift,
Mr. Frazer all along you were saying that you guys, all the member unions of the NTUCB, were in this together, what happened?
George Frazer,
"The point is we have been working together, we are under the banner of the TUCB, but the reality is its been only the teachers and the Water Services' Union, and we want to recognize and big them up, that has been taking the blunt; supporting and doing the actions. And at the same time there is a time and place where you understand you have to try and reach an agreement. We are saying we are satisfied."
Emily Martinez who is president of the Belmopan Branch - which abstained from voting says her members will decide.
Emily Martinez, BNTU Belmopan Branch President
"My branch agrees with the proposals, it is not an abjection to the proposals, the objection is for my membership to know what I am voting on, so it is just for respect. We are fighting against injustice and people misrepresentation, so I owe it to my branch to go back to them and ask them their views before I vote. So I am not against what government proposed, we are all for it because that is what we are asking for. But the teachers were with us from the beginning and they just should be with us till the end."
And if the teachers are united, the Trade Union Congress or what remained of the coalition also stuck together.
Russell Young, President - Water Worker's Union
"We still have solidarity with the NTUCB. We are going to a meeting and what they decide, that's it and our union will back that."
Paul Perriot, BCWU President
"All the leaders have to decide on this before we go with it."
Dylan Reneau, PSU President
"We still have to go through and dissect it. In here they make a commitment to continue dialogue on the other issues. But when you continue dialogue with a government that believes that there are here to rule, then we have some serious issues that we have to address as the Trade Union Congress, how we will deal it. I am certain that we will come up with an amicable solution to this issue and we as a Belizean people will move forward together as one."
So again, at newstime, the situation is that the unions continue to meet but the PSU has rejected the proposals. But while 8 branches of the BNTU have reached a decision, it is still very much a union divided and after the break Alfonso Noble will speak with some of the union members who were at the BNTU office when the decision was made as they share very strong sentiments on the union management's decision to go back to the classroom.
