Philipsburg:--- Several teachers of showed up at the office of the Windward Islands Teachers Union in Madame Estate on Monday night protesting against the short comings in their vacation monies.
President of the WITU Claire Elshot said most of the teachers that visited her are from the public education. She said the former government paid out the monies prior to leaving office. The monies she said was deposited on the teachers accounts last Friday, while the teachers received their slips on Monday.
Elshot said according to the law the teachers are supposed to receive 6% of their yearly income which is to be paid out during the second half of June each year.
Elshot in a press release said the board of the WITU received numerous calls starting from Saturday until late today of several Public School teachers, who were surprised by the fact that their vacation allowance was deposited in their bank accounts late Friday evening.
After receiving their slip for this payment of vacation allowance they were shocked and bitter by the fact that they were short changed to the tune of more than Naf. 1000,- (one thousand guilders.
According to the ordinance for civil servants and teachers vacation allowance, this is a 6% of your yearly income. The WITU has started the process of investigating what went wrong, but will be demanding from the new government officials an immediate correction of this error.
The affected public school teachers has pulled their slip from last years to make this comparison and not planning to give in to this cut and therefore sought to have their union address this matter on their behalf.
Elshot said she already contacted the new commissioner of education William Marlin hoping that he can look in the matter and give the union a valid explanation as to what went wrong.