In other news, the Belize Communication Workers for Justice were out in front of BTL today continuing their protest for their unpaid severance.
And as we told you earlier this week, Paul Periott, a former Communication Workers Union president is back in the country and back on the frontlines. He was there back in 2005 and now, two decades later, he's joined the picket line. He explained today that this is what unionism is about.
Paul Periott, BCWJ
"We continue to get this rhetoric from the board at BTL and it's mostly the board that is continually telling us we have to wait, they're getting legal advice. Man, what kind of foolishness is that? We already got the highest advice in the land, the Caribbean Court. What kind of advice they need?"
Reporter:
"So there's been no update since yesterday's resumption of protests?"
Paul Periott, BCWJ
"No, no update, they've been silent since the last communication that we got from them."
"We continue to do it, that's what unionism is about, we're union members, we pay dues into this union for BCWU itself for many years. I might only paid it for 12 years but we have people paying it for 20, 25 years. And they paid their dues, it came out of every pay cheque so the union that represented us, that we were a part of, should be out here. They shouldn't be under management's tail and hiding from the fact that they represent us as well. Even though we're not there again, they still represent us and we're talking against them right now because they need to be out here."
"BTL is publicly owned so the government should have a hand and not this Lizarraga guy that's out there and his board. They represent the government, they represent us, we're who gave them that $375,000 that they get per year in salaries. They don't get that money from the Prime Minister or any entity, it's our money, our sweat give them that money. They have to pay attention. It's strange that although Cabinet is coming that way, they're not putting a strong force on BTL, call them out, they need to make them come in and make that decision on the ground, don't talk it TV cause that's not helping me."
The group will be meeting this weekend to plan their next moves.
