WILLEMSTAD - After a two-year struggle between the trade unions and the government, the process to officially reverse a law that had imposed a 12.5% reduction in civil servants' benefits has now begun in Parliament.
All previously frozen benefits will be restored retroactively, including the right to wage indexation and the payment of backlogged salary steps.
The agreement, which was signed in October, includes a payout of 42 million guilders for wage indexation and salary steps, to be completed by January 2025. This marks a significant turning point for civil servants who, despite job guarantees, have had to sacrifice vacation days and salary benefits during the COVID-19 crisis.
“There is reason to be satisfied now that this struggle is nearing its end, and the process to officially end the measures taken during the pandemic has begun,” said Juan Lourens, president of the StrAF union.
According to Darius ‘Lio’ Plantijn, president of Sitek, the government has also called for agreements to be made with other groups in society. “Employees in the education sector continue to face daily challenges in the community, which negatively impacts the students,” Plantijn emphasized.
The decision to restore benefits comes after intense negotiations and pressure from unions, who have fought for the rights of public sector workers throughout the pandemic. This development brings hope for further improvements in working conditions for various sectors that were also affected by austerity measures during the economic downturn.