Philipsburg:--- The President of the Windward Islands Teachers Union (WITU) Claire Elshot called on workers on St. Maarten to commemorate the achievements of Labour Day which is celebrated on May 1 each year. Elshot said workers on St. Maarten need to make a special effort to understand the importance of Labour Day and recognize the accomplishments of the island's forefathers in trade unionism. Elshot said even though workers on St. Maarten are faced with a number of challenges regarding the abuse of workers' rights, the unions on St. Maarten has made great strides.Elshot said some of the persons to be remembered are Mr. Alrett Peters, Prudence Hodge-Hodge, Patricia Pantophlet, and Willy Haize all of whom are unionists that made great contributions to unionism. The aim of the WITU is to continue to educate the workers of their rights as workers on St. Maarten. Elshot said there are number of workers that are very vital to the economy of St. Maarten and therefore as a union body she also wants to recognize and salute them.
President of the Workers Institute for Organized Labour (WIFOL) and the WICLU Theophillus Thompson said it is important to recap the importance of Labour Day. He said workers must reflect on the system in which they are living which is the capitalist system. Thompson said workers should reflect on Labour Day because workers in the past worked endless hours and when they did not they were punished. He said workers began fighting in the early 80's to have an eight hour work day and it climaxed when workers in the USA demanded the eight hour work day in the late 80's.Thompson said that today workers rights are being violated in all forms, he reflected on the workers of Pelican Resorts who are still not being paid and waiting on a judgment from the Appeals Court. Thompson said he noticed that the supermarkets on St. Maarten are no longer employing people to pack bags. "In the past, the supermarkets used to hire packers but today they don't. Young people just work for a tip in the supermarkets and they don't get a salary or medical." He called on government to become more proactive in restoring the rights of workers.