Reed said civil servants will not be penalized with the no work no pay policy as the Minister of Personnel Affairs agreed to waive the penalty against those civil servants who met with their unions during working hours.
However, the teachers on St. Maarten are yet to know their fate as to if they will be punished for demanding they be paid what is due to them based on a promise by government last year. Reed said the President of the WITU Claire Elshot entered into a heated debate with the Minister of Education who was part of the meeting on Tuesday. The WICSU president said the Minister of Education said she already met with the school boards and agreed with them that the no work no pay policy will be implemented for those teachers who did not show up for work. At the end of the discussions Reed said the Minister has agreed to go back to the school board and to dialogue with them to see if they too would exempt the teachers from the no work no pay policy. Reed said a follow up meeting would have to take place sometime this week or next week so that an amicable solution is found. Reed, however, warned that the other two unions will not abandon their brothers and sisters in the teaching industry as they fight for their rights.
SMN News learnt that the teachers on the other hand are angry with the unions for signing the agreement prior to consulting with them for ratification.
Teachers are expected to return to the classroom on Wednesday.