Philipsburg:--- President of the Workers Institute for Organized Labour (WIFOL) Theophillus Thompson made a bold call to Mark Miller of Quantum Investments on Thursday during the Windward Islands Chamber of Labour Unions weekly press briefing. Thompson was reacting to an article that was published in one of the newspapers which states that WIFOL is the one to decide whether or not the Simpson Bay Resort stays open. Thompson further stated that since they are the ones that have to decide if the doors of the resort would stay open, Quantum Investments "Mark Miller" should hand over the keys to WIFOL and turn over the bank accounts of the resort to the union. The unionist said that the employees that SBRMC is trying to get rid of are the ones that built the resort. Thompson said that the services provided by the employees of SBRMC kept the resort open.In the meantime, the WIFOL President said that while the owners of SBRMC are contesting the verdict rendered by the courts in favor of the employees, they have employment agencies engaging in slavery at the resort. Thompson told reporters that one of the employment agencies working for SBRMC hired at least two people and has refused to pay these people. Thompson said the agency hired a woman who recently arrived on the island and after she worked a full day and cleaned some 12 rooms she was told that she was training that day and she will not be paid. In another incident, a man worked for several weeks and he too was told that he was in training and will not be paid.
The WIFOL President said that slavery is taking place at a resort where one of St. Maarten's Members of Parliament is the General Manager. He explained that while the Court of First Instance ruled on April 2, 2012 that the workers must be paid and the Collective Labour Agreement must be respected, the workers have not been paid since November 2011. Thompson said the Member of Parliament managing SBRMC has refused to respect the law and the judicial system of St. Maarten. The WIFOL President said that even the mediator of the Department of Labour sent a letter to the company asking that they get around the table but the company is yet to respond to the labour mediator. He said that is a clear sign that the management of SBRMC thinks they are above the law and will not respect the laws that govern St. Maarten.
Thompson said government should think seriously about discussing a way forward with the union and the investors. "We believe that government needs discuss with the investors on St. Maarten especially when it comes to upholding the law of this island." The WIFOL President said that they have apprised the labour department of what is taking place at SBRMC and to date nothing has been done. Thompson said he wants to know where the inspectors are. He said that he will be informing the ILO about what is taking place on St. Maarten regarding union busting and the practice of slavery on the island.
In the meantime, the three judges that heard the challenge of judge Jurjen de Haan who is sitting on the appeals court ruled that the judge will remain on the appeals court bench when the case is heard on Friday April 20, 2012. Thompson said that the three judges feel that this case is of a different nature than that of November 4 and 7, 2011 and they feel judge Jurjen de Haan will act professionally. He said the court further feels that the WIFOL and its attorneys took the matter to the extreme.
