WILLEMSTAD - As the unions strategize to pressure the government into repealing the 12.5 percent cut to civil servants' benefits retroactively from January 1, 2023—rather than waiting until 2024 as the government proposes—Minister Shalten Hato of Administration, Planning, and Public Service (BPD) has called on the unions via social media to return to the negotiation table within the GOA consultation body. The unions had previously walked out of meetings and are demanding that the law be repealed with retroactive effect from early 2023. 

The unions ABVO, NAPB, SAP, SITEK, and STrAF are continuing their actions to increase pressure on the government. They not only demand the retroactive repeal of the law but also compensation for overdue payments from previous years. Minister Hato emphasizes that negotiations within the GOA platform are crucial for reaching an agreement and that the government is working on a proposal to implement the repeal in 2024. Hato notes that once an agreement is reached, payments to employees will be made by February 2025 at the latest. 

Meanwhile, the unions continue to push for a swift resolution and seek a direct meeting with Prime Minister Gilmar ‘Pik’ Pisas. Acting Prime Minister Charles Cooper has previously stated that the unions must first consult with Minister Hato, who is responsible for the current negotiations.