Why Aren’t More Union Leaders Supporting Dennison?

Is Belize’s labor movement losing its united front? Questions are emerging about growing divisions among union leaders, with some members questioning the strength of their leadership in disputes with government, while others are asking what is really behind Senator Glenfield Dennison’s solo “education campaign.” His increasingly independent approach appears to be raising eyebrows within the movement. So why aren’t more union leaders and members standing alongside their senator? We put that question to NTUCB President Ella Waight.

 

Ella Waight, President, National Trade Union Congress of Belize

“I think Senator Dennison keeps saying it’s a one-man’s protest. Dennison, Senator Dennison chose to do those protests. He has not come to NTUCB to request our assistance, I think because of the legal part of it. I mean he, you know, the gentleman is a legal-minded person.”

 

Reporter

“It’s not a protest. It is an education campaign.”

 

Ella Waight

“Education campaign. Exactly. So he chose to do that. Remember, when NTUCB takes on any action, especially an, I’ll go back to the word protest, we have to consult with our affiliates. I am only the president of NTUCB. I do not make decisions on behalf of the affiliates. It has to go to the affiliates, they then have to go to their membership and then get a, like CWU would have to do, and then get a consensus and then they would say, “Okay, let’s go out.” And that’s what we’ve done for the protest on Friday coming. We went to the presidents who have now reached out to their membership.”

 

We note that Senator Glenfield Dennison has been joined by some union members in his demonstrations, despite him note sending out invitations.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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