UP-led govt dragging feet; MPs afraid to vote on issue
PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the National Alliance NA William Marlin says it appears as though the United People's Party-led parliamentary coalition is afraid to put its foot down and address the abuse of short term labor contracts once and for all.
Marlin said the National Alliance faction in Parliament had requested a meeting to debate the issue some time back, but to date the meeting was never convened to give MPs a chance to finally put the issue to a vote and bring relief to the people of St. Maarten who have been suffering from abuse of short term contracts for years.
He said while all the political parties have been talking about this issue; the National Alliance is the only party in Parliament to put its money where it mouth is and submitted a draft amendment to the civil code to stem the abuse of short term labor contracts. This was done more than three years ago in May, 2011 and what appears to be an effort to stymie the process, the UP-led government has been dragging its feet on this issue.
"The only reason the UP chairlady of Parliament has refused to convene the meeting so that this issue can be debated and put to a vote, is because they are afraid to vote on it. They do not really want to address this issue; they don't want to bring an end to it. They just want to continue talking about it to appease the people of St. Maarten, but no one wants to step up to the plate like the National Alliance has done and address this issue once and for all."
Marlin said it was a travesty that the faction's call for a meeting to debate this issue is being stymied in this manner adding that the only ones being hurt are the workers of St. Maarten and their families.
"NA's effort to address this issue was part of the party's move to put the people of St. Maarten first and stop this blatant abuse of short term contracts so that our workers can have job stability and a fair chance at having a better and more stable life."
In its proposal NA recommends that short term contracts should not be given for work of a permanent nature. "Had government not dragged its feet on this issue then the draft legislation, which had to be vetted by, among others, the Advisory Council, would have been tabled in a central committee meeting then debated in a public meeting of Parliament and if approved by the majority of MPs would have become law and the abuse would have had to stop."
The draft proposal is aimed at regulating by law the permanent placement of workers for jobs of a permanent nature. NA had always contended that it was not possible for companies to operate all week yet have their workers on a starvation line on contracts with no job security.
Short-term labor contracts are intended for companies that require workers on a short-term basis or for jobs that run for specific short periods, but many are circumventing regulations to protect workers and workers are being hired for a few months, sent home and rehired on different contracts. Some businesses have turned their operations into the structural use of short-term labor contracts. This has to stop.
Workers should become permanent after three months employment, but instead they are instead being sent home and rehired months after. NA had intended to close this loophole in an effort to protect our workers.
The National Alliance will continue to champion this issue and see to it that its draft amendment reaches parliament to be addressed.
NA Press Release
