PSU President Accuses GOB of Union Busting via Media Campaigns

President of the Public Service Union, Dean Flowers, has coined recent advertisements as a form of union busting.  According to Flowers, the government has been using its media production resources, such as the Belize Press Office, as a means to discredit the unions and their demands for a salary increase.  The PSU President went live on social media late this evening to express his disappointment on the alleged union busting.

Dean Flowers, President, PSU: “They have launched a taxpayer-funded campaign to discredit the joint unions and personally attack my character.  This government has once again weaponized state resources to spread false financial claims about the salary adjustment we seek, aiming to turn  citizens against hard-working public offices. They have engaged in union-busting tactics that promote hatred and undermine the dignity of Belizean workers. I call on all right-thinking Belizeans to reject these despicable actions. Public funds must serve the people, not finance political vendettas.  To public officers aiding the government in these attacks, if you use your position in the press office to attack the union that is fighting for you, then please do the honorable thing, man formally renounce future benefits won by the PSU. Submit a written declaration to the Financial Secretary and please copy in the PSU. And that declaration should read the following.  It should state that you do not wish to receive any salary adjustments, any increments  or benefits negotiated by the PSU.  We will honor you and we will publicly  recognize your integrity.  To those CEOs who support these type of division, to those CEOs who also received raises without even asking while frontline workers were suffering and continue to suffer I call on you to show true leadership, write to the financial secretary and please copy in the PSU as well, stating  that you are hereby returning your unrequested increase to fund social programs for those who genuinely need it. Hypocrisy must end. Put your privilege on paper.”

In his 6-minute address, President Flowers went on to call on the public officers who are aiding the government in the acts of union busting, to openly declare that they would not accept the salary increase being negotiated by the unions.  He also had a message for the government CEOs.

Dean Flowers, President, PSU: “Make no mistake. The government will be held legally and ethically accountable. These government-funded ads, these attacks, simply waste thousands of public dollars on propaganda ads to preferred paid media. These government funded attacks constitute defamation. Imputation likely to lower mean the estimation of right thinking Belizeans. They violate the spirit of public service and labor rights.  I will therefore pursue accountability at the personal,  institutional, and media levels.  Belize deserves mature leadership. I therefore call on the ministers in the Ministry of Finance and the Minister of Public Service stop these childish and divisive attacks. Cease the lies.  Return to the negotiating table.  Belize need leaders who unite, educate and solve problems, not petty politicians who sow division.”

Earlier today, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) issued a release echoing the sentiments of the PSU.  The release also noted, quote, “The Congress will not sit quietly while attempts are made to silence, exclude, or disgrace the leaders chosen by the workers. The NTUCB calls for an immediate cessation of all actions that may be interpreted as anti-unionism.”  End of quote.