Dylan Reneau
And with all those issues surrounding P.B.L. and the Christian Workers’ Union, the announcement that the C.W.U. had been suspended from inclusion in the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (N.T.U.C.B.) seemed like vindication of the stevedores. N.T.U.C.B. President, Dylan Reneau, told News Five that the reason for suspension of the C.W.U. had to do with non-payment of fees and non-participation. But instead of being left out of the cold, the N.T.U.C.B. will meet with the stevedores to discuss solutions to their problems.
Dylan Reneau, President, N.T.U.C.B.
“We’ve received a letter from the C.W.U. indicating that they would want to meet with us and that they are willing to pay their dues and start attending meetings and they want to have discussions about what we’re heard in the public from the stevedores. They wanted to have that meeting today. Unfortunately I was unable to do that, but we’re setting up that meeting for some time next week and the N.T.U.C.B. Executive along with C.W.U. will have that meeting and discuss the issues. The reality is that in order for Mr. Gonzalez and Mr. McFoy to be removed you need to have an Annual General Meeting. I don’t think it’s proper for this sort of draconian move to be happening. Certainly we’re not necessarily supporting that sort of issue but we have to resolve the use because the issues that the stevedores have raised are very serious issues and so we have to use dialogue and we have to use a process based on the constitutions of both the C.W.U. and the N.T.U.C.B. to try and resolve the issues. We also put in our press release that those issues that are being raised by the stevedores would have to be put on the table because they are claiming that C.W.U. has not had an A.G.M. for several years. That is not operating as per their constitution so that issue will need to be resolved. The whole issue of the financial accountability…that as well will need to be resolved! As the umbrella organization of trade unions we must uphold the rules and regulations of trade unions as well so we will certainly impress on the C.W.U. those issues and we are willing to work with the C.W.U. to have an A.G.M. so the membership can vote for who they want to be their leader as well as to ensure that the C.W.U. gets their accounts audited.”
The meeting between the N.T.U.C.B. and the C.W.U. is tentatively scheduled for next week Thursday.
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