Tonight, things are heating up between the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority KHMHA Workers Union. In a late evening press release, the hospital announced its support for an ex-gratia payment to staff who served between 2001 and 2017, payments that would only be made upon retirement, resignation, or release. The hospital also highlighted a list of thirteen benefits currently enjoyed by staff, but made it clear: a pension plan is off the table. That didn’t sit well with the union. In fact, they say the release was issued in bad faith, right in the middle of an emergency meeting in Belize City. Union President Andrew Baird quickly called a press conference, saying members weren’t even given a chance to respond before the proposal went public. Here’s what he had to say.
Andrew Baird, President, KHMH Workers Union
“I can say to you that what is being presented to us with a four percent ex gratia payment is no way better than what we had with the four percent of the employer portion of the provident fund. Our members make it clear to negotiating team and the executive that this four percent of ex gratia is unacceptable and they must wheel and come again. Then we noticed that about a half hour a press release form the government press office comes out and while the letter ask us to be in confidentiality I believe the confidentiality was away from the media. They didn’t even give us an opportunity to meet and respond to members and discuss what was proposed. Then they put out a press release talking a bunch of nonsense. Shame on them indeed. Let me remind the CEO of this, in 2021 when then CEO Rosado sent out a letter to the staff of KHMH asking us to come over to the board, they made it clear that our benefits would be better than what was offered in the government service. What is offered is pittance and a slap in the face.”
Paul Lopez
“Is it your release that this press release was issued in bad faith?”
Andrew Baird
“From the get go at the table it was all bad faith, even when the government said to us on the fifth of June that we no longer negotiate with the government, we negotiation with Karl Heusner, that was in bad faith.”
Paul Lopez
“With this action by the government of Belize, does it fuel now the union to continue with its actions?”
Andrew Baird
“Over resounding yes is the answer, and I can tell you that starting tomorrow, they will get the sense. They will get the sense. You want to take us lightly CEO and government, then it will be on your hands. It will be on your hands and you can come and threaten us with the law. We are prepared. We are ready.”