WILLEMSTAD – Five public sector unions marched to Fort Amsterdam on Thursday to demand an emergency meeting with the Council of Ministers, accusing the government of ignoring repeated requests for dialogue and failing to address growing concerns affecting civil servants.
The leadership of the unions ABVO, NAPB, STrAF, SAP and Sitek said they have grown frustrated with what they describe as the government's refusal to respond to their letters or engage in meaningful discussions.
According to the unions, unresolved issues concerning the legal status, working conditions and treatment of government employees continue to accumulate, making urgent intervention necessary.
Union representatives also criticized the government's approach to labor consultations, noting that previous attempts to raise the issues through Parliament had produced no results. They further claimed that the Minister of Governance, Planning and Public Service (BPD) has repeatedly failed to attend meetings of the Central Government Consultation Committee (CGOA), the formal body where labor matters between the government and public sector unions are discussed.
The union delegation was eventually received at Fort Amsterdam by Finance Minister Charles Cooper. However, according to the unions, Cooper informed them that substantive discussions would have to wait until after August 20, when the Minister of BPD is expected to return from an official trip abroad.
Only after the minister's return, Cooper reportedly told the delegation, can negotiations with the unions begin.
The unions have indicated that they expect the government to address their concerns without further delay and are calling for concrete solutions to improve the position of public sector employees. They have not ruled out additional actions if meaningful dialogue does not take place after the scheduled meeting.