And while the KHMH industrial action is ongoing, the Public Service Union had its first flash of action yesterday. According to an internal PSU communication, a significant number of Public officers called in sick at the Treasury Department, Magistrate's Court, Ministry of Agriculture, Elections and Boundaries Department, Belize Tax Services Department, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Attorney General's Ministry, Ministry of Infrastructure and Development, Ministry of Education, and Immigration Department
Last nigh on Uncut, President Dean Flowers said that when the union needs to, it can immobilize the government's revenue collection:
Dean Flowers, President, PSU
"With the snap of a finger, if public officers were to decide to exercise their true power, they can cripple and bring down any government in one day and so I don't know that we need to send a message of threat or anything. I think any government should always keep that at the back of their heads, that bwai, we can't pick a fight with public officers, because these people run the system and the reality is that if we were to want to cripple the government, we might not need all those departments. We might just need to massage some people in CITO and massage some people in Customs and some people in Immigration or some people at the airport and that's all we need and the government would have to listen. So, like I said this is no threat to the government or no message. It simply is that people can't take the pressure no more and they decided to take a day off."
And while public officers are entitled to 6 single days of uncertified sick leave, the union received reports that certain accounting officers were calling around and asking for names of the absent.
Flowers said angrily that they are using bully tactics:
Dean Flowers, President, PSU
"So let me look into the camera, send me all the names who called in sick today. I want to say into that officer, you will get your list as well as the administrative officer in the ministry of public service. Yes, Madam, I understand you requested names as well. Please, treat public officers with respect and afford them their rights as per the regulation. Report back to work if you feel better tomorrow or whenever, if you're not feeling well tomorrow, get your certified sick paper and send it in and if you are attacked, bullied, intimidated - reach out to this union and so public officers listening out there, when you return back to work and anybody drags you in any office and think they can bully you against your rights, please reach out to this union and let us know."
"They are weak. If that is all they could do, intimidate public officers and threatened them, they show that they are weak and I say you all are weak when you go after public officers. I wish you all could come after me."
The BNTU president didn't have to throw any threats though. She said that if the teachers do not get their increments by April; first they will be ready, in her words, to go all the way:
Jules Vasquez
"April 2nd your teachers get the news or get the understanding we will take another year, the 4th year now without an increment. What will your teachers do?"
Elena Smith, President, BNTU
"Something that we can't control. That's for sure. At this point in time, we are prepared to do what we need to do, because we are suffering too much. We can't take it no more."
Jules Vasquez
"What do you need to do?"
Elena Smith, President, BNTU
"Jules, whatever we need to do and we have been saying to our teachers and we have been putting forth to them that whether you support the party in government or not, you have to understand that when it comes to you, your survival, your family no party will not do that for you."
Dean Flowers, President, PSU
"Each public officers needs to make an inform decision: will I continue to defend a government or a political party in the name of politics and sacrifice my people, sacrifice my children, my family, my livelihood, my quality of life - they need to make that decision."
Jules Vasquez
"So, on April 2nd if no increment is given, should people with your children prepare to have a babysitter on call, because there might not be school?"
Elena Smith, President, BNTU
"Jules, I will put it this way; if our meetings, our discussions, our negotiations don't go favourably for us, then as a union and the prime minister said it 'they have a right to industrial action.'"
Dean Flowers, President, PSU
"I am not waiting for April 1st, I want know when the budget will read, because when the budget reads and no agreement has been reached by the joint unions and the government and that budget gets read and we're not in there for some compensation...."
Jules Vasquez
"What will happen?"
Dean Flowers, President, PSU
"It's then public officers will to decide whether they will starve in 2023 and beyond or they will stand up and fight for their food."
