BTL Workers Push Back Against SMART Deal

Belize Telemedia Limited’s proposed acquisition of SMART is facing growing resistance from the very workers the company says it aims to benefit. According to the Belize Communications Workers Union, eighty-four percent of its membership now opposes the deal as it currently stands, marking a dramatic shift from January when employees initially supported the acquisition. The union says that earlier support was based on the understanding that concerns about job security, governance, financial implications, and worker protections would be fully addressed. After months of waiting for more information, the BCWU says many of those questions remain unanswered. The latest development comes just days after BTL’s Board of Directors voted eight to two in favor of moving ahead with the transaction. Despite that vote, the union maintains that greater consultation and transparency are needed before any final decision is made. The BCWU argues that BTL employees are more than workers, describing them as stakeholders whose livelihoods and national assets are directly tied to the outcome of the deal. The union is also calling for assurances that workers’ rights will be protected throughout the process. With concern growing among its membership, the BCWU says it will now align itself with the National Trade Union Congress of Belize to determine the way forward. Its message is clear: any decision involving one of the country’s most important assets must be made openly, responsibly, and with the voices of workers fully heard.

 

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