WILLEMSTAD - The unions representing government employees are revising their approach after learning that they will not be able to meet with Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas regarding the controversial wage cut law. With Pisas currently abroad, negotiations must now take place with Minister of Justice Shalten Hato. 

The unions SAP, Abvo, STrAF, NAPB, and Sitek are seeking a chance to negotiate the repeal of the wage cut law, which reduced civil servants’ benefits by 12.5%. They are pushing for the law to be repealed retroactively to January 1, 2023, whereas the Pisas II cabinet has proposed a repeal effective January 1, 2024. 

On Monday, union leaders briefed their members on the government’s current stance and discussed potential strategies to reverse the law. The unions stressed the importance of securing a repeal that includes compensation for the lost benefits from the beginning of 2023. 

The unions are now focused on reaching a resolution through dialogue with Hato. “We need to try dialogue first. We can achieve more at the negotiation table. If this doesn’t succeed, then we will move on to the next strategy,” union representatives said. 

The outcome of these talks will be crucial for government employees, many of whom are eager to see the wage cuts rolled back as soon as possible.