WILLEMSTAD - On Thursday, the unions within the Central Commission of Trade Unions (CCvV) will meet with the government to discuss the repeal of the 2020 Public Sector Wage Cut Law, known as the "kortingswet".
The wage cut law, which imposed a 12.5% reduction in public sector benefits, was a requirement for financial support from the Netherlands to Curaçao. A disagreement has emerged regarding the effective date for the repeal's retroactive application. The government is aiming for January 1, 2024, while the unions are pushing for January 1, 2023.
A government proposal is currently on the table, which the unions largely agree with. The proposal includes payments for wage indexations from 2023 and 2024, to be disbursed in 2025, provided that the repeal is approved by parliament before the end of the year.
Negotiations have been positive, and there is hope that an agreement will be reached during Thursday's meeting. Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas is expected to attend in place of the acting Minister of Administration, Planning, and Services, Shalten Hato.