Last week we told you about the dispute over the amendment to the KHMH Act which was tabled in the house earlier this month.
It effective removes the KHMH Union representatives from the board and replaces with, quote, "a representative nominated by the National Trade Union Congress of Belize from among its membership, who is not a member of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority Workers Union".
It's clearly discriminatory and it has not gone. Down well with the union - which has fought steadily from 2015 for its place at the table.
They held a press conference TODAY and demanded that government abandon the amendment:
Andrew Baird, President, KHMHWU
"In totality, what they are saying to us is that the voices of the workers of Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital does not matter to the board anymore. The principle on which we were allowed to the board by the said government, who amended the act in 2021, for accountability, the mere principle for accountability, and transparency, and for the workers of the institution to have a say in decision making that affects us within the institution is now being eroded by the by the said government."
"We can only classify that having the union rep on the board has been working in the best interest of the institution and the staff, but not in the best interest of the politicians. Because if there was a representative that was hanky -panky and allowing everything to occur, they would not have amend the act."
"They would not have amend the act any at all. Nevertheless, this also can only be classified as a direct hit of union busting. Our union has made it clear that it is unacceptable. We will leave no stone unturned to let the government understand that Karl Huesner workers union will not give up."
"We will do what necessary to ensure that the representative remains on the board."
Glenfield Dennison, Labour Senator
"I repeat categorically, we never asked for that. However, the wording of the amendment is so targeted that it leads me to believe that we are no longer legislating for a policy."
"We must be in the realm of legislating for personalities. And so I ask you to question yourself as to who this sort of amendment would benefit the most. It can't be you because you will be removed from knowing what's happening at the highest decision -making body of your employer, the KHMH authority."
"And so it really smacks of bad governance. I want to call this the Allain or Andrew amendment. And so congratulations my brothers because you have made it on the big stage, you are being legislated for and that means that you are doing what is in the best interest of your workers."
Andrew Baird, President, KHMHWU
"Our union have been, we have consulted with our legal minds, our attorney and we are looking at all options whether it be legal or with the support of the good senator brother Dennison to see how they can probe the social partners to ensure that we get the necessary social partners in the senate to get the necessary support to pull this bill at the earliest time possible."
