BNTU President Responds to Dispute Over Late Teacher’s Union Benefits

Belize National Teachers’ Union President Nadia Caliz has addressed two issues generating discussion within the union: a grieving daughter’s claim that her late mother was denied union benefits and a proposal to double monthly membership dues.  Erany A. Carballo says her mother, Eda Carballo, served as a teacher for thirty-seven years and contributed to the BNTU for approximately twenty-five of those years. According to Carballo, her mother later developed kidney failure and underwent dialysis. After retiring, she was unable to continue paying union dues during the final three years of her life.  Carballo alleges that when she contacted the BNTU following her mother’s death, she was informed that Eda’s membership had lapsed and the family was therefore not entitled to benefits. She says she offered to settle the outstanding dues but was reportedly told that her mother was no longer considered a member.  She also claims that messages sent to Caliz were seen but went unanswered. Carballo questioned why the union observed a moment of silence for her mother at its convention but, according to her, did not contact the family to offer condolences.  The daughter argues that her mother’s twenty-five years of contributions and commitment to the union should not have been erased because illness prevented her from paying dues during the final three years of her life.  Caliz has now responded to the allegations, explaining the union’s position.

Nadia Caliz, President, BNTU: “I first need to say this, both to the relative and to the public because the situation is in the public domain, is that you received the response, an accurate response from your branch leaders in Orange Walk and they were correct. The BNTU debt claim is what you call a contributory benefit. The member has to be current with his or her payment in order for the member to claim. Constitutionally that is how the BNTU was set up. I don’t have the legal authority to go and give you any benefit, any at all. So when the branch members made it clear that they communicated with you and they too now how to produced screenshots of those conversations, I am not going to put it out there in the public domain because we’re not at war with each other. I just want you to know that I’m very happy that you did what you did because it sheds light on what as the current leader of the BNTU under my leadership what I am trying to change. We have had multiple situations of this nature. Our retired members have contributed to this organization and once they don’t pay the fifty four dollars annually then they lose all benefits. The debt claim is two dollars a month, twenty four dollars a year. I have been a part of this unit for 33 years and when you calculate my $2 times 12 times 33, I have paid $724. But the benefit is $3,000. So I get far more than what I invest into the fund. But once you stop paying, you lose that benefit.”