Claim #79 of 2022, it's the case where the Port of Belize Limited is individually suing the president of the CWU, Mose Hyde and five stevedores for losses the port experienced during a work stoppage by the Union. The Port is seeking over a million dollars in special damages, interest, and costs for losses it claims it suffered due to what they are classifying as an illegal strike by the union and its members.
After months of preliminaries, the case went to full trial in the Supreme Court today before Justice Chabot. Mose Hyde and the CWU was represented by Magali Perdomo and Darrell Bradley. The Port of Belize was represented by Hector Guerra.
Leaving the heading, Hyde said he felt confident:
Mose Hyde, President, CWU
"I felt really good about how our attorneys presented our case I have a bias but I felt that it went very well. I believe that the issues that were put forward are very clear and, um, but that is my overview of it and I think what it amounts to is if I was convinced of it before I it's now kind of like a double down on it of just what the implications are for this matter, not just for CWU and stevedores but for labour in Belize and the rights that are enshrined in the law."
Cherisse Halsall:
"Still though, not yet a conclusion. So this continues?"
Mose Hyde, President, CWU
"Yes, this continues, this is, because of the way our attorneys have decided to argue is to say that this should not even come to trial because uh the fact that I am a defendant and my fellow reps are also defendants that, that should not occur because we should be protected as according to the law and be protected and afforded immunity from an employer deciding to take us to court and it's a precedent making the case that has been brought against us. I've never been a defendant in my life. I have been turned into one because of this and a good number of our members don't know what that is. So all union leaders and all people involved in the labour movement in Belize have to understand what is being argued and how it affects them ultimately when it takes place and if you have listened to this morning's session you will realize just how, just the areas that the arguments went and looking at cross-examination of our very laws that are supposed to be put in place to protect union and protect the right for unions to be able to stand up when that time comes."
