2 weeks ago
6
As the unions continue to keep the pressure up with protests, the government’s negotiating team is preparing another proposal to bring back to the negotiating table. In light of the union’s refusal of the government’s last proposal, the team has gone back to the drawing board and is preparing to submit fresh proposals to Cabinet early next week. Pending Cabinet’s approval, the team will then take the proposals back to the unions. Francis Fonseca, a member of the negotiating team, said that he is disappointed in the unions for taking things as far as they have, while negotiations are still ongoing. He stressed that any disruption at the Philip Goldson International Airport is not in the best interest of the unions, the government or the country as a whole.
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade, Culture and Immigration: “The unions, as you know, have rejected the last offer made by the Government of Belize. Our negotiating team, the cabinet subcommittee, met earlier this week to discuss certain proposals that we want to make to cabinet. We will be making those proposals to cabinet on Tuesday of next week and based on that discussion with cabinet and whatever instructions we are given by the cabinet, then we will be scheduling a meeting with the JUNT for us to move the process forward in terms of whatever instructions we are given by cabinet. So we’re very hopeful that based on our own discussions that those proposals will be well received, that they will be met with good faith and that we will have an opportunity for an early resolution of this matter. I’ve always maintained that we have in place a structure and a mechanism for the resolution of these disputes. We have always been able to dialogue around the table. In my view it is very unfortunate, very disappointing that the Unions have moved away from the table and are not, you know, resolving these issues in good faith, in a respectful way, around the table. So I think, you know, certainly I think the efforts to, you know, close or disrupt activities at the airport that cannot be acceptable to anyone. And that is not in the interest of anybody. It’s not in the interest of teachers, public officers, not in the interest of the tourism industry, it’s not in the interest of Belize. And certainly from my knowledge of the people around the table in the joint unions who I’ve worked with for many, many years these are all good Belizeans who want what’s best for Belize. So that was very much out of character with the people I know.”
The government’s last proposal included a four percent raise in October with a phased approach for the remaining four and a half percent. Additionally, the government would A part of the government’s second proposal includes a contributory pension scheme as well as the upping of the retirement age from 55 to 60 years
English (US) ·