Pointe Blanche: -- Workers at the St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies along with their union held a stand off yesterday afternoon in an effort to force management to respect their Collective Labour Agreement (CLA), which was signed over a year ago. Workers from security, maritime, and all other section of the harbour were on stand off.At the gate of the harbour, several employees backed by the United Federation Union stood outside as they wait on members of the management team to begin executing their CLA. While at the protest action, Managing Director Keith Franka sent a letter to the UFA indicating to them that he has requested the assistance of the labour mediator to resolve the issue. Franka said based on the series of meeting conducted on Monday December 7 as well as last Friday they were unable to come to an agreement on the distribution of the percentages to be paid to the COLA over the year 2008. The managing director further explained that they felt they have made a fair proposal to the UFA but somehow they are unable to reach an agreement.
Speaking to SMN News was advisor the United Federation Union Willy Haize said that management of St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies are violating the cost of living clause in the CLA. Haize said the UFA and the Harbour Group of Companies have agreed to adjust the cost of living by 3.9% instead of 4.6% . He said based on the agreement the company has to increase the workers salary by 60% while 25% would be paid in a one-time payment (lump sum). The union advisor said suddenly management wants to pay a higher percentage in the lump sum and less on the salary increase. He said one would believe the union is talking big monies but that is far from the truth, "we are saying 60% of the 3.9% which brings us to 2.3% to be added to the salaries of each worker," something he felt the company can afford to pay. "If the harbour cannot pay this kind of monies to its employees tell us what would happen next year when we have to negotiate the CLA he asked?"
Haize said the CLA clearly states that the workers must receive 60% of the 3.9% in salary adjustment, 25% will be made in a one time payment while the other 15% would go towards the management of the St. Maarten Harbour Holding Companies. Haize said based on the actions of management they don't seem to want to pay the employees anything. Haize said even though they were discussion with management, the managing director said he is calling for the mediator and the union is willing to wait on them outside of the gates at the harbour.
President of the UFA Francis Ollivachi further explained that the workers cannot accept a higher percentage in the one time payment because this would ultimately affect the worker. Ollivachi said workers have to make sure they have a decent salary at the end of the month if they are to receive a proper pension. Furthermore, they need to take home more monies every month to meet the cost of living on St. Maarten. The UFA president further explained that Mark Mingo of the CEO of the supervisory board has ordered management to make the payments but somehow the managing director does not want to comply.
At 4pm the workers were asked to return to work since management of the company has sent the UFA an email asking them to go back around the table on Monday where the discussion would continue.In a faxed letter to this media house the CEO of the St. Maarten Harbour Holding Mark Mingo said he is very disappointed with the actions taken by the UFA since he had informed them that the meeting they requested on Thursday last week could not take place since the Commissioner in charge of the harbour Theo Heyliger is part of the delegation in the RCCL on the Oasis vessel.
In the meantime, SMN News has learnt from the workers that the Harbour Group of Companies has been investing some $80,000 to train illegal security officers in ISPS courses. According to one of the workers government, owned company spent this amount of monies to train private security guards while the workers (all locals) are denied this type of trainings, which deals directly with cruise ships. The worker said presently there are about 20 security guards who are taking the training course and when it is over, they are sent to work in supermarkets by the security company. The workers said this is a cycle that has been going on for years now and when they bring up the status of these security guards only then those with working permits would replace the illegal immigrant.
