PHILIPSBURG--The Board of the United Federation of the Windward Antilles UFA met with Deputy Prime Minister Theo Heyliger on Wednesday, March 28, and discussed what it termed "urgent problems facing Country St. Maarten."
UFA raised several concerns with the Minister. These included, but were not limited to, the cost of living, the minimum wage, short-term contracts, the need for an expedited mediation process and the need for the Labour Department to address and solve issues in a reasonable time frame.
The UFA also took issue with outsourcing labour and/or properties contracting employment agencies. "There should be strict regulations to prevent outsourcing. Permanent workers should not be replaced by short-time or contract workers, who are paid lower wages, creating poverty and crime as well as labour unrest. We agree there must be seasonal employees, but they must only work for the season," UFA said, adding that the abuse of the timeshare market must be addressed as well.
UFA also suggested the establishment of a labour court to speed up labour cases.
UFA called for three levels of minimum wage, according to the worker's ability: Ordinary Level at NAf. 2,000; Junior Level, depending on skills, at NAf. 3,000; and Senior Level, depending on skills, at NAf. 4,000. It wasn't clear whether the rates suggested were weekly or monthly.
"Both wife and husband now have to work two, three jobs, which apart from being too taxing means that we are back in slavery. How can they take care of their children if they are not home to take care of them?" the UFA asked.
"For a healthy and friendly island, government, businesses and labour organisations must sit down together and reason mutually for the welfare of St. Maarten, based on the above- mentioned points. The UFA is strongly of the opinion that the businesses dictate too much to the government and labour organisations and that has to be stopped. The UFA is also of the opinion that when there is representation inside and outside St. Maarten, labour organisations must be involved. The businesses must have proper representation and the workers must have proper representation."
UFA told the Minister that it does not expect all issues to be solved overnight. However, "the way things are going at the moment, ten years will pass and nothing will be changed; hence the need for a drastic change. The workers are quite concerned," the Federation said.
Office for National Statistics Manchester United Australia cricket team Aston villa Obama administration Australasia
No comments:
Post a Comment