The CWU's Stevedores had what they called a peace rally at the Port of Belize. It' a part of the soft pressure accompanying their 21 day notice of industrial action/. But, as we told you last night, the ownership of the Port of Belize felt that it would be anything but peaceful - they asked the Commissioner of Police to revoke the permission to demonstrate.
But, their fears were overblown. The rally was peaceful - and there was an abundance of senecio police there to make sure that it stayed that way.
That's why, when the event started late - the police refused to extend the permit.
7News was there and we caught up with the CWU's new President Leonora Flowers who stressed once again that the Port still isn't upholding the ruling that the courts made in their favour.
Leonora Flowers, President, CWU
"It's like the song says solidarity, solidarity for Stevedores, solidarity for the entire unionized Belize."
"We had no choice than to issue the notice of strike because on the other side we have no one to negotiate with there was a time when we sat at the table to negotiate before it was not there, we can't talk to ourselves, we waited for the Ministry to come in, they have been slow and like I say it's a lukewarm response that we continue to get and as Belizeans, as Stevedores, as workers participating in the democracy of this country we deserve better than that, our stevedores deserve better than that."
Cherisse Halsall:
"If you could just re-iterate to us the reason for the 21 days notice, we know there has been some issues about the gangs working."
Leonora Flowers, President, CWU
"The 21 days notice is because we are, the port has failed to act on the ESAT. There is certain awards that they should respond to, they have flatly refused. The tribunal has given it's directive and they have flatly decided that they will not abide by it, it would appear that the government who is supposed to have the back of the people are also not stepping up to do what it is supposed to do so we need to do what is under the law and give 21 days."
"The award says compensation for the loss and there has been a loss they keep saying there is no redundancy, the letter says there is a loss of income, that is all we want them to recognize, they have recognized that but they fail to do the next step abide by what the ESAT decided."
"We were asking for an additional time but we knew that it would probably not be afforded to us it's just that we got off to a late start but we are going to move to a new location and we are going to continue with the peace, peaceful rally, peaceful."
Reporter:
"Now, I see a lot of police officers around. I count at least a dozen. Is it that they were expecting some kind of uproar or whatever?"
Leonora Flowers, President, CWU
"I can't speak on behalf of the police, but maybe they are protecting us. We will say thank you for that. None other than deputy commissioner, but, thanks to the police department."
