Posted: Friday, December 18th, 2015. 4:46 p.m. CST
By BMG Staff: A release from the Government Press Office earlier today, stated that Minister responsible for labour matters, Hugo Patt, signed a statutory instrument amending section 2 of the Laws of Belize Revised Edition 2011.
The amendment deals with settlements of disputes in essential services and reads as follows: Accordingly, the Schedule to the Act is amended by inserting in the appropriate numerical sequence the following entry, “Port Services involving the loading or unloading of ship’s cargo (without limiting the application of this act to such services in relation to petroleum products, as specified in this schedule)”.
It will make port services in Belize fall within the provisions of the act, which provides 21 days notice by Union or Management before any industrial action can be taken, allowing for early intervention by government into trade disputes and reduce the likelihood of lockout or strike.