KHMH Workers March for Pension Justice

The call for pensions is growing louder. Today, workers from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital took to the streets of Belize City, demanding the government honor their years of service with a proper retirement plan. The K.H.M.H. Workers Union says employees who served between 2000 and 2018, some for over two decades, are set to retire without a single cent in pension. That’s because no pension scheme was ever put in place when the hospital became a statutory body twenty-five years ago. Joined by members of the Belize National Teachers Union and the Public Service Union, the workers marched under one clear message: “Give Us Our Pension.” Here’s Paul Lopez with that story.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Hospital workers in Belize City marched in protest, calling for a long-overdue pension plan. Staff from Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital say it’s time their years of service are recognized with retirement benefits. Lydia Blake, who’s worked there since 1995, supports the cause wholeheartedly, she knows just how vital this fight is for her colleagues.

 

Lydia Blake,  Employee, KHMH

“Despite no matter what, no matter, who we get the job done because the public nuh have no where else to go but Karl Heusner. We have been down this road. WE have been through different governments. We have been through different board and managements. Enough, we have proven ourselves through Covid. They brought the COVID unit to KHMH surpass that so that gives us the right to be entitled to our pension. Case closed.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Why you think this time will be different?”

 

Lydia Blake

“Because we are taking it to the very end. To the very end, because the staff are getting old, sick and they are dying.”

 

Frustration is boiling over at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where longtime employees say they’ve worked for decades without proper retirement security. With no pension plan in place, they’re left to rely only on severance pay. Union President Andrew Baird says that’s exactly why workers are demanding change.

 

Andrew Baird, President, KHMHA Workers Union

“For those who were working at the KHMH prior to 2000 when it the statutory body was formulated they were considered to be government workers. So when they retire the government will pay them a pension and KHMH should reimburse the government for he period they work at KHMH. Then you have those who came under the authority when the statutory body was formulated in 2000. At that time either the government or KHMH should have formulated a pension scheme or a provident fund. Neither was done at the time for he formation of the statutory body.”

 

This changed in 2017, when the hospital’s authority established a mandatory providence fund or a retirement saving plan for new workers. But according to President Baird this does not adequately serve workers employed between 2000 and 2017.  And, after years of negotiation with the Government of Belize the issue is unresolved, and those employees are now on the edge.

 

Andrew Baird

“If there is no pension then all they take home is severance which is pittance of what they value. So we believe they deserve. We are the frontline workers for this nation when it comes to medical service. We are national referral hospital for the country of Belize.”

 

With chants of “Gimme mi pension,” hospital workers marched through Belize City, joined by members of the Public Service Union and the Belize National Teachers Union. Their route, from the hospital to the Mahogany Street roundabout and back, sent a strong, united message. But tensions rose after the Labour Department warned that any strike disrupting hospital services without notifying the Health Minister could lead to jail time. Union President Andrew Beard dismissed the warning, calling it misguided, while BNTU President Nadia Caliz boldly responded, “Bring it on.”

 

Andrew Baird

“I don’t see how a demonstration means to stop work. I don’t see how we say we go slow means we stop work completely. So, I beg to differ with the LCC and we are guided by our legal team as well.”

 

Nadia Caliz, President, Belize National Teacher’s Union

“Too many government agencies are becoming statutory bodies and workers are losing their rights. They need to bring to the attention of statutory bodies that these are the things you are ging to lose so you remain if you want to or we pay off. But you don’t find that.”

 

The KHMH Workers Union are scheduled to return to the mediation table with the Government of Belize on June fifth. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.