BCWJ Warns of International Action Over BTL Severance

Union members say justice is still being denied by the Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL), despite weeks of protests over unpaid severance.

Emily Turner, a representative of the Belize Communication Workers for Justice (BCWJ), criticised delays and contradictions in BTL’s recent communications and warned,  ”We are disappointed, but we are not gonna give up.”

Turner explained that the union has been engaging BTL diplomatically on this issue that is affecting 175 former employees.

For weeks, the BCWJ members have questioned BTL’s plan to proceed with its $80 million acquisition of Speednet/SMART while severance payments remain unsettled.

“We had already mentioned to them in a letter that we sent last week that we don’t want to have to do these things, but if we have to take this internationally, we will, because we are affiliated with international labour unions. We have our contacts in the Caribbean Congress of Labour, so we don’t wanna have to do that, but if it requires us to do that, we will,” Turner added.