PHILIPSBURG:--- The Windward Islands Civil Servants Union – Private Sector Union (WICSU-PSU) has issued a final escalation notice on February 2, 2026 on behalf of firefighters, following nearly ten (10) months of an unresolved go-slow stemming from unaddressed concerns within the Fire Department.
A mediation process was entered into in good faith. Resulting in the drafting of an agreement letter which was intended to formalize commitments that were verbally agreed to by the Honourable Minister of General Affairs during meetings with firefighters and the Union. Commitments that were also publicly expressed to the Parliament of St. Maarten. To date, that agreement has not been signed and was instead met with a new proposal .
The Union emphasizes that this matter is not a negotiation. It is a mediation process aimed solely at formalizing commitments already made. These commitments form the core basis of the go-slow. Firefighters made it explicitly clear that a signed written agreement on these specific issues was required to end the go-slow. It is after this signed agreement after which negotiations on the broader covenant submitted on May 5, 2025, that was accepted by the Honorable Minister of General Affairs, could proceed as a separate process.
Despite repeated correspondence, references continue to be made to the broader covenant. Although the specific, agreed-upon points discussed directly with the Prime Minister which was later placed into writing as a commitment letter, then adopted as an agreement letter, remain unsigned and unresolved.
Firefighters have further raised concern that while the President of Parliament and others continues to indicate the need to “seek information and clarity,” no direct engagement has taken place with the firefighters and their union that represents them. Requests for meetings with the Council of Ministers on August 17, 2025, and again on January 27, 2026, were declined and met with no response. Parliamentary engagement, including several meetings with the most recent held on January 29, 2026, has likewise failed to produce a concrete way forward.
Mediation: A final version of the agreement letter was submitted via the appointed mediator on January 23, 2026. To date, no acknowledgment or substantive response has been received.
After nearly ten months, the Union and firefighters conclude that the operational reality of the Fire Department is not fully understood, as public statements do not reflect the conditions under which firefighters are required to operate. The prolonged go-slow is now having observable effects across Government operations and the wider community, with Ministers themselves experiencing the impact within their respective Ministries underscoring the urgency of decisive action.
Accordingly, WICSU-PSU has formally requested:
The signing of the agreement letter within forty-eight (48) hours, and
Within the same forty-eight (48) hours, a result-oriented meeting involving the Council of Ministers, with Parliament included, as a final effort to bring this matter to a responsible conclusion.
Should no decisive action be taken within this timeframe, the Union will honor the firefighters’ request to cease further meetings or processes that do not produce concrete outcomes. Continued dialogue without action serves no constructive purpose and only prolongs an untenable situation.
This notice is issued in good faith, and in the interest of accountability, public safety, and institutional stability.
