Andrew Baird, President of KHMHAWU
by Charles Gladden
BELIZE CITY, Wed. May 28, 2025
The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority Workers Union (KHMHAWU) has given the government and the management of the KHMH a notice of industrial action in response to what the union views as unsatisfactory pension negotiations.
A letter dated Wednesday, May 28, which classified the stalemate in the negotiations as unacceptable, was sent by the president of the union, Andrew Baird, to Chandra Nisbet Cansino, CEO of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.
The major point of contention of the KHMHAWU is the absence of adequate pension provisions for the union’s longest-serving staff members. The current pension scheme in place at the KHMH only caters to employees hired after 2008—leaving those employees who have been with KHMH for over two decades without the retirement benefits that are to be allotted to those who started working at the hospital much more recently than those workers did.
During a demonstration in February of this year on the matter, Baird spotlighted the approximately 300 workers who have served at the hospital for decades and want to be paid. Baird described another meeting with the Government that month as “amicable” but yielded no significant results.
The letter sent by the union on Wednesday expressed the union’s frustration at the standstill and what it perceives as the lack of respect shown by the Government of Belize side in a recent meeting between both parties.
The letter sets the stage for pending industrial action. On Thursday, May 29, union members and staff will wear their “Gimme Mi Pension” T-shirts, which will be followed on Friday, May 30, with Level 1 of the union’s industrial action, which will consist of a demonstration, a go-slow, and a media appearance. Level 2 will continue with the demonstration and the Work to Rule strategy, which means that union staff will strictly perform only contractual duties, and any overtime or extra duties will not be performed.
If the Government of Belize does not respond with the concrete measures the union has been requesting, the KHMHAWU said it will activate Level-3, which will see the union initiate a 21-Day Notice of Strike Action.
Late Wednesday evening, the Ministry of Labour responded to the KHMHAU letter, reminding them that even though the union can voice their concerns, essential services like healthcare are subject to specific legal requirements. The Ministry specifically mentioned that under the Settlement of Disputes in Essential Services Act, any dispute must be reported to the Minister of Labour, and a 21-day waiting period must elapse before any strike or work stoppage can legally occur. The Ministry therefore urged the union to pause its plans, as it may be unlawful if conducted.
Our attempts to elicit a response from the union to the Ministry’s counter letter were unsuccessful. Notably, the KHMHAU has not yet activated Level-3, as they have scheduled a media appearance on Friday.
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