Last week the Port of Belize was immobilized when stevedores refused to work - and made specific demands from the port's new owners - which is the government of Belize.
On Thursday - Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde got them to go back to work - on a promise that the Prime Minister would meet with them on Monday.
The stevedores - represented by the Christian Workers Union - wanted two things: a redundancy settlement payout and the assurance that the size of their work gangs would remain the same.
Tall demands - but rolling on a wave of popularity after the municipal elections, the Prime Minister was in a giving mood today. 7news was at his office in Belize City:
Today the stevedores and their CWU leadership arrived at the Prime Minister's Charter House office just after 2:00 pm - to a cordial and relaxed atmosphere. They were followed shortly after by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Tourism.
About 40 minutes later we were called into the conference room - to a room full of smiles
Niceties were exchanged across the floor and the mood was more than cordial, it was friendly.
So much so that while the Ministers were on one side and the stevedores and union on the other.
To help the cameras, thePRimeMinister switched sides and went to sit with the unions.
With all that goodwill we weren't surprised to hear:
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"We have an agreement, and basically we've been working on the number of gang size, the numbers of hours that we're going to be working in and we believe that we have an agreement at this moment."
Leonora Flowers, President - CWU
"Thanks for the new offer and the way it has been set out. We believe it's palatable for our members, in fact we were given certain instructions before we arrived for this meeting and have found that the met with our requirements, so our member will be pleased with the response that were taken back to them."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"There's a general consensus from both sides that these work stoppages is not in the interest of no one, that it does not help the Christian Workers Union or the stevedores, nor does it help the port of Belize, nor the country of the Belize."
"We recognize now that there is a competition, that some boats are threatening that if this is not sorted out that they will consider going south to the Big Creek Port to offload their cargo. So I believe that today we managed to settle pretty much all of these issues."
"We will be signing that formal agreement tomorrow. But basically we've agreed to the number of gangs that we're going to have. How many members per gang which we also have agreed are that the big ships will be able to have two gangs working for the big ship, so that the ships would no longer have to wait until the gang rests and come back to offload."
Leonora Flowers, President - CWU
"It's a step in the right direction for us. I can say today that we have seen a difference in the communication, a different in discussions, and so we feel that we're on the right track. We want to say thanks to the government for doing this."
But what's the bottom line on the much contested redundancy payment? Well, it's an ex gratia payment and its going to the house:
Jules Vasquez
"Where do both parties stand on the issue of redundancy today?"
Leonora Flowers, President - CWU
"We have passed that stage with the payment of gratuitous payment made today, the offer from the PM, our members are ready to relinquish that issue. We've passed that stage."
Jules Vasquez
"Is the offer more than the 1.5 million previously discussed?"
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"We've agreed to 1.6 million, because one of the members reached out to us saying that they have this huge legal bills and so with the approval of cabinet approval of another 100,000. But I believe that the DPM will support me on that, so that the package is 1.6 million."
Jules Vasquez
"How do you all feel emotionally about the change in perspective where you're not working with someone who's actively trying to destroy you?"
Leonora Flowers, President - CWU
"The change in perspective is a good one. They are not trying to destroy us. We are in Belize and Belize os for Belizeans and you can't get more Belizean that the people of south side, You can't feel more Belizean than that and so this is where our stevedores come from. This is the heart of Belize we are talking about. The water front workers goes way back. Belize City has been built around and on them. So it's a good feeling today to know today that government has bought back the port and we are hoping that we are going to get an opportunity to work towards its development."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Today is a win for everybody. It's a win for the stevedores and the Christian Workers Union and for the labor movement. It's a win for Port of Belize, Its win for the consumers, and it's a win for the government of Belize."
The verbal agreement is with their attorneys and both sides are expected to sign tomorrow.
