Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal rules for stevedores

By Aaron Humes: The five-member Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal has ruled that the Port of Belize is to confirm forthwith the primary stevedores in the case as registered stevedores; promote the 28 secondary substitutes to primary substitutes and invite them to participate in its insurance scheme effective today; pay their share of contributions to the retirement savings for the aforementioned stevedores from July 13 to the date when the dispute was brought to the attention of the Minister of Labour Oscar Requeña, and that the parties forthwith commence negotiations for payment under the Redundancy Package as agreed between the parties on March 6, 2020.

The basis of the complaint which initiated industrial action is according to the Christian Workers’ Union (CWU), citing section 15 of the Settlement of Disputes in Essential Services Act, Chapter 298 Laws of Belize revised edition 2011, “Despite various attempts, including with the involvement of your Ministry, a number of outstanding matters between CWU and PBL remain unresolved. Included in these matters are the redundancy package for Stevedores with the move of bulk sugar exports from the Belize City Harbour to the Port of Big Creek, filling of the Container Gangs and a date to resume stalled negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement for PBL staff.” The last item has since been concluded.

The ruling will be reduced to writing shortly and the Labour Department issued thanks to all involved for their work and active participation in this important quasi-judicial process. Since the notice of dispute, a Government release states, the Labour Department has played a pivotal role in transitioning the matter through respectful dialogue and mediation to the Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal.

The members of the Tribunal are chairman William Lindo and members Fermin Olivera and Wilfredo Galvez, nominated by the Minister; Marcello Blake, nominated by the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI); and Hubert Enriquez, nominated by the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB).

We have sought comment from both Andy Lane, CEO of the Port of Belize Limited (in receivership) and CWU president Evan “Mose” Hyde on this late-breaking story.

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