Philipsburg: --- The United Federation Union UFA is calling on the Supervisory Board of GEBE to take action against the company's managing director William Brooks whom they said are out of control. The union suggested that Brooks must be demoted from his position since they are unable to work with him. According to a press release from the UFA it states that Brooks has insulted the President of the UFA Mr. Francis Olivacchi, he is also accused of insulting the former President of the Union Mr. Boasman as well as Mr. Barton. The UFA further charged that Brooks even threatened their president telling him if he did not sign the evaluation of 5% to bind the workers. The UFA acknowledged that Olivacchi did sign but the protocol of the UFA states that at least two persons from the board of the union must sign on their behalf if not the document becomes null and void.
According to the UFA they have a pending Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) since the year 2004 and 2007 that the protocol of the wages have been agreed upon but the nonfinancial part of the CLA and the social benefits of the CLA, up to now has not been finalized because the Managing Director of the GEBE, Mr. Brooks refused to negotiate with the UFA those pending points.
In the collective labor agreement for 2007 to 2010 parties have requested an increase of 10% in 2007, 10% in 2008, and 5% in 2009 on wages. Up to this present moment the Managing Director, Mr. Brooks, bluntly refused to sit on the table with UFA to finalize those pending CLA's. Brooks they said offered was 5% including Evaluation and he (the managing director), will determine how it will be decided upon in the future.
The UFA bluntly refused because he Brooks has to honor the protocol signed between the former Managing Director, Mr. Julius Lambert, and the former President of the UFA, Mr. Lionel Boasman whereby the Evaluation has to be finalized in mutual agreement.
Furthermore, for each year until the Evaluation goes into effect, GEBE has to pay 5% and also when the cost of living increases to more than 4% then they have to get the necessary adjustment according to the stipulations in the CLA.
He went so far in the early part of 2009 to threaten the President of the UFA, Mr. Francis Olivacci, stating that he must sign 5% Evaluation to bind the workers. The President of the UFA did sign but according to the Constitution of the UFA a minimum of two persons have to sign making it null and void. He, Mr. Brooks, even went so far as to say that the President of the UFA has no back bone and all other kinds of insulting words.
The UFA in their letter to the supervisory board states that if action is not taken against Brooks then they would have no other choice but to take action. That action they are referring to is labour unrest.
The union in their letter said Brooks has insulted, Former President of the UFA, Mr. Boasman, in the past and also Mr. Barton, he is getting out of control and the UFA will do what they have to do if the CLA is not respected.
The UFA said Brooks is like someone from the wild, wild west. They further said that the reason action has to be taken against Brooks is because they feel the managing director to be incompetent and he is just creating labor problems for the workers of GEBE.
The union said they believe Brooks must face demotion since they are unable to deal with him. Dealing with Brooks the UFA said may cause physical action and that they are trying to prevent. The union is also calling on the supervisory board to start a profound investigation against the Managing Director who is already up in arms with the supervisory board. The board already suggested to the island council in a central committee meeting that Brooks should no longer remain on the job.
The workers of GEBE in St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba are totally fed up with the Managing Director, Mr. Brooks. They said Brooks went so far as to tell the Vice President of the UFA, Mr. Irwin Jack, to resign as Vice President of the UFA in order to get a wage increase and also one of the workers in Saba, Mr. Daniel Johnson, he does not want to negotiate a justified wage increase for him as supervisor.
Reasons they gave for the investigation since they felt Brooks has over stepped his bounds in his managing style.
The Union said so far the workers have not gotten their cost of living which is long over due to them and also the payment of 5% that has to be paid until Evaluation system has been implemented which was signed by the former Managing Director of GEBE and the UFA.
In addition, the company refused to negotiate the pending CLA with the UFA and if solution is not found then the UFA will have a labor problem in the three island labor territories.
The UFA concluded its letter by stating that they have had enough and that their patience has simply run out. They are also asking for an urgent meeting with the board of directors of GEBE to see if they can resolve the long overdue labor issues.
