WILLEMSTAD – On Labor Day, trade union federations submitted a bill to the Minister of Social Development, Labor, and Welfare to amend the current labor regulation from the year 2000. According to union leaders, the current law excludes maritime port and airport workers from basic rights that are guaranteed in other sectors. 

Wendell Muelen, vice president of the SSK union federation, said the amendment is urgently needed. The current labor regulation governs working hours, breaks, fixed and part-time contracts, night shifts, workplace safety, and labor rights for young workers and domestic staff. However, it does not apply to employees working at the port or the airport. 

Muelen argued that this has led to unequal treatment: “Workers in these sectors regularly work overtime, night shifts, and holidays without any extra compensation,” he said. The proposed amendment targets Articles 8, 9, and 10 of the law, which relate to working hours, rest, and breaks. It also modifies Chapters 3 and 6, dealing with overtime and public holiday compensation, to extend these rights to port and airport employees. 

In other sectors, these protections are already in place. The goal of the amendment is to ensure equal treatment for all workers, regardless of industry, the unions said. They also emphasized that the proposed changes would not have any financial impact on the government. 

If passed, employers in the maritime and aviation sectors will be required to comply with the same labor standards applied elsewhere. The unions noted that the proposed amendment aligns with key International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, including the 1958 Convention on Discrimination in Employment and Occupation and the Convention on Equal Remuneration for Work of Equal Value. 

“This is about dignity, fairness, and upholding international labor standards,” said Muelen.