This afternoon, the Department of Civil Aviation had to activate its emergency mode. That's after a number of air traffic controllers walked off the job to join the union strike.
They're the latest group of public officers to initiate protest actions against the Briceno Administration, but their spontaneous entry into industrial action wasn't initially part of the plan. The best information we've received suggests that 4 air traffic controllers were "written up" for being last to work last Sunday.
The Public Service Union, which represents some of the air traffic controllers, tells the media that their tardiness is being interpreted by the leadership of the Civil Aviation Department, as a deliberate and silent act of protest in support of the joint unions.
So, the PSU staged a protest at the Philip Goldson International Airport, to make it clear to the government that they will stand up on behalf of the 4 air traffic controllers. At midday today, tourists and Belizean travelers at the airport were given front-row seats to the PSU's boisterous and energetic picketing of the Civil Aviation Department.
Our news team was at the PGIA, and we spoke to the PSU reps about this unplanned demonstration against what they are calling an attempt to victimize these 4 public officers. Here's how he explained the sources of this current dispute:
Dean Flowers - 1st VP, PSU
"The letters that have been shared with me by the gentleman accuses them of sabotage, it accuses them of negligence and it accuses them of colluding and planning the sabotage of I don't know, perhaps the landing of planes."
Reporter
"Is it that the letters suggest that they were trying to follow on cue with some union activity?"
Dean Flowers - 1st VP, PSU
"The Public Service Union name was not used in the letters, but the subject of course is negligence in the performance of duties and sabotage. There is a section of the letter that states 'your actions may be considered as negligence in the performance of duties and sabotage respectively as it is allege that these actions were deliberate and coordinated.'"
Reporter
"So they are suggesting that or is the implication that they may a silent protest to not show up?"
Dean Flowers - 1st VP, PSU
"Yes. As I understand it the gentlemen were late for work on Saturday. They had vehicular problems, as I understand it. There was communication, the letter suggest that the communication to the director and other supervisory individuals were not timely. In any event as with any good department of course there would be a contingency plan in place. All 4 were served with letters of administrative leave letters for 1 week. I understand there is now contemplation and I found this out after visiting the ministry of public service this morning that there is consultation happening there for the immediate suspension for a major misconduct of sabotage being levied upon these gentlemen."
As you heard, the PSU's membership thinks that these 4 air traffic controllers are being unfairly singled out for supposed union support, when they had legitimate reasons for being late to work on Saturday. According to the PSU's 1st Vice President, the staff at the Civil Aviation Department was one of the groups of very essential workers that they did not want to activate as protesters until it was absolutely necessary. Here's how he explained why there should be no uncertainty about the intentions of these public officers who have received what appear to be disciplinary letters:
Dean Flowers - 1st VP, PSU
"We want to say categorically that where essential services are concerned this union has acted responsibly. We have spoken to every essential services department such as of course our health services department, the fire department and the civil aviation amongst others and we said to them that we believe we can resolve this matter without engaging them as yet and so I can categorically say that the tardiness that these gentlemen experienced as a result of mechanical failure had absolutely nothing to do with the current impasse that the public service union is experiencing with the government of Belize and for that reason I think that Mr. Carter was out of order and is out of line. We reject that in its entirety and I want to state categorically that in addition to offering moral support to these officers we will offer them legal support as well, because Mr. Carter will have to respond in the supreme court for the accusation of sabotage, even if it is that they want to engage in industrial action. The public service union of Belize as their bargaining agent served the minister of labour adequate notice. We are 37 days today since that notice was served. After 21 days any member of this union was free to engage in industrial action and strike action."
So now, the PSU and a number of other colleagues at the Civil Aviation Department are taking the stance that if you touch one, you touch all. At the change of shift today, they announced that they were going on strike, and simply walked off the job. Here's the PSU spokesperson explaining the importance of that show of solidarity:
Dean Flowers - 1st VP, PSU
"This is when we say "touch one, touch all" and I am proud to see that the other members of the authority knowing the good character of their colleagues decided to stand in solidarity with them today as they should, as brothers and sisters in union and I hope that the example being exhibited today by the brothers and sisters in civil aviation will be emulated across this country and in every other unit department and ministry. If you stand together, you will put an end to the intimidation, victimization and the bullying by your immediate supervisors, CEOs, HODs, ministers - whosoever they are. You do not and should not sit idle by and watch the abuse that your co-workers are experiencing, you have the right to defend them in the same manner that you have to the right to defend yourself against such actions. The bulk of the officers from the tower and the radar have decided to stand in solidarity with their colleagues against this witch-hunt by Mr. Carter. Despite our colleagues that have walked off exercising their right of course under the strike action, they have taken the liberty of notifying their regional partners of the situation, but the only authority that can close down the airport or not accept flight would be Mr. Carter and his crew, so as I understand it there are backup staff that are loyalist to Mr. Carter and his supervisory staff, so they have been called in and I trust that they would be equip enough to land planes."
Reporter
"Can there be any sort of punitive action against the member of staff who decide to show solidarity with their colleague and to walk off as persons on strike?"
Dean Flowers - 1st VP, PSU
"The public service regulation is clear, they can decide to withhold salaries for portion of time that they are not there, but they were covered under our trade dispute and the notice that we served 37 days ago."
Reporter
"So their jobs aren't in jeopardy?"
Dean Flowers - 1st VP, PSU
"We definitely don't believe they are and as I said if it is that we have to spend a long time in the supreme court and even all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice, to ensure that justice is served, that no administration could think that they could bully workers of this country, that is what we will do and it starts now."
