Marigot: --- The two unions representing the employees of the Collectivity of St. Martin will be taking official action as of Monday. The union met with their employees on Wednesday at the Sandy Ground Culture Center and plans to meet again on Friday at the Chamber of Commerce Building in Concordia where they would finalize the points of the planned strike. The unions are UACL, CGTG de Saint Martin who already submitted a "pre-avis" informing the COM that there would be industrial action on Monday January 19, 2009.
Reasons for the strike SMN News understands surround the illegal employment of some 16 additional staff that was hired for this New Year. It is understood that the COM did not send out an appel d'offre (job publication) to attract locals to the available positions prior to hiring the workers who are not from St. Martin.
SMN News also understands that the DGA from the Pole Development et Humain made a deal with the COM saying if he is hired and has to work on St. Martin then his wife must be hired. They said the COM maintained the man's request that hails from Guadeloupe and hired his wife who now works in the pole Sociale.
Another concern for the union is the job description for workers who have been in the civil service for years. Last year a number of persons were hired for one post and today they are being moved around within the civil service some of them is said to be doing nothing. One of those persons was the head of protocol that ended up without an office and is now assisting the Sandy Ground Community Council.
Other concerns are the working hours, the salary as well as the working status of the new hired DGS who is already in the Collectivity. It is understood that the local police will be part of the strike since they too are having problems with their new boss. This media house learnt that head of the Territorial Police would constantly insult the local men in blue. He also denied the police their ‘prime de risqué, and heures supplimentaires. It is said the police requested the prime de risqué (allocation for working late night) and that was denied even though the police are called to work all hours of the night. SMN News understands that the last week the head of the police and President Frantz Gumbs sat in a meeting with the police and the head Flavien Bazile spoke to them in unacceptable manner. SMN News understand when the offers pointed out to Gumbs the way Bazile was speaking to them they were told to shut their mouths and listen to what Bazile has to say. SMN News also understands that Gumbs then left the meeting. Efforts made to clarify this information with the president proved futile since he is not reachable by phone and does not reply to emails.
SMN News understands that the strike would be for 24 hours. It is not clear if all employees will be taking part in the one day strike.