WILLEMSTAD – Telecommunications workers' union SITKOM has accused Flow of attempting to avoid paying appropriate severance compensation to 11 long-serving IT employees while allegedly sharing confidential personnel information with an external company involved in a proposed outsourcing arrangement.
The allegations were made in a statement issued on Thursday, October 29, 2026, following a press release from Flow concerning its plans for the affected workers.
SITKOM claims the telecommunications company wants the employees to continue performing essentially the same duties for Flow through an external service provider, but under significantly less favorable employment conditions.
According to the union, the arrangement would initially last 18 months, after which there would be no guarantee that the workers would retain their jobs.
The employees involved have reportedly worked for Flow for periods ranging from 20 to 35 years.
SITKOM argues that these workers have accumulated extensive technical knowledge and experience that remain valuable to the company's operations.
The union fears that the proposed outsourcing arrangement would allow the external provider to obtain that knowledge before potentially terminating the employees' contracts.
This concern is presented by SITKOM as a possible consequence of the proposed arrangement, rather than an established intention of Flow or its external partner.
Union Demands Severance Based on Existing Arrangements
A central issue in the dispute is the compensation that affected employees should receive if their employment with Flow ends.
SITKOM alleges that the company is unwilling to provide severance payments in accordance with the arrangements traditionally applied when employees leave the organization.
The union argues that workers who have dedicated decades of service to the company should receive compensation reflecting their employment history and established entitlements.
According to SITKOM, Flow is attempting to move the employees to another company instead of providing the termination compensation that the union believes they are entitled to receive.
The organization describes this approach as unfair and discriminatory toward the affected workers.
SITKOM is demanding that Flow apply its established severance arrangements and adequately compensate the employees for their years of service.
The union also wants the company to stop placing pressure on workers to accept the proposed transfer.
The precise severance amounts being disputed were not disclosed in the statement.
Serious Allegations About Employee Privacy
Beyond the financial dispute, SITKOM has raised concerns about the handling of confidential employee information.
The union alleges that Flow has shared private personnel details with the external service provider without properly respecting employees' privacy and confidentiality.
According to SITKOM, the external company has obtained information about individual employees' gross salaries and medical absence.
The union questions how an outside organization could possess such information and whether its disclosure complied with applicable privacy and employment laws.
SITKOM further alleges that the external provider has indicated that an employee who is currently ill would not be accepted for employment.
If confirmed, such circumstances could raise legal questions about the handling of sensitive employment information and the treatment of workers experiencing illness.
However, the allegations have not been independently established, and the statement does not include documentation showing exactly what information was transferred, under what circumstances or with what authorization.
Flow and the external service provider have not been quoted responding to these specific allegations.
Uncertain Future for Long-Serving Workers
SITKOM believes the proposed arrangement creates significant uncertainty for the 11 employees.
Under the plan described by the union, the workers would continue supporting Flow's operations through the external provider for 18 months.
However, SITKOM says there is no assurance that their employment would continue beyond that period.
The union fears that employees could lose their positions after transferring their technical knowledge to the external company.
It argues that Flow should take responsibility for the consequences of its restructuring decision rather than shifting the risks onto employees.
SITKOM also maintains that the company's treatment of the workers is inconsistent with its public statements about valuing employees.
The union has warned that it will not continue accepting what it considers unfair treatment and disregard for workers' rights.
Its demands include appropriate severance compensation, protection of confidential personnel information and guarantees that employees are treated in accordance with applicable labor legislation.
The dispute raises questions about the responsibilities of employers when outsourcing activities, particularly when long-serving employees are expected to continue performing similar work under a different company.
SITKOM has indicated that it intends to continue defending the interests of the affected workers and has warned Flow that continued disagreement over the company's approach could lead to further confrontation.