Public Service Union of Belie
P.O. Bus 458, Hilltop, Belmopan City, Belize, C.A. Internationally affiliated with PSI and CPSA
PRESS RELEASE
18’s August 2020
PSU REJECTS LABOUR (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2020
A preliminary review of the Labour (Amendment) Bill, 2020 appears to skew the Bill in favor of Employers thereby giving them discretions on the basis of a ‘state of emergency’ to make certain decisions which on the face of it may erode the right of the worker without more. The Bill also seems to whittle down mandatory sections of the substantive Labour Law to afford the employers power of discretion. In view of the forgoing, we find that the Bill does not place employees on an equal footing although the word “agreement” is tossed around. The PSU therefore rejects the Labour (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
We must reject and condemn the actions of Government since this Bill was never discussed with the social partners via the Labour Advisory Board. We cannot entertain the destruction of the pillars of social dialogue by way of social partnership; this action threatens that. We therefore reject the Bill in its current housing and the manner in which it was promulgated. We therefore call on the Government to do the right thing and put a halt to the Bill. The PSU supports the efforts of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize to achieve this.
SOLIDARITY FOREVER!
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