WILLEMSTAD.- Today the SITEK union entered its 8 days of strike. It is expected that today they will finally receive a satisfactory reaction from the Government related to the documents that they delivered to the Government, after explaining to the Minister, all their points.
The president of SITEK, mr. Darius “Lio” Plantijn announced yesterday afternoon that they met with Minister Alcalá-Wallé. During the meeting they reviewed the documents that SITEK gave her. They gave a clear explanation that all the people could understand the feeling of the workers who haven’t been attended each year in their salary issues, nor in the shortage of material.
The workers and members have said so far that they want something concrete on the table and that they will endure their struggle. It was agreed with the minister that they would wait for the counter-document until today in the morning and that together with their members they would analyze said document to sense the feeling of the workers and their wishes. If the workers agree, a reply will be sent to the minister, explained Plantijn.
Plantijn said that again they got the opportunity to explain all their points and what is the feeling and thought that exists behind all the teaching workers to be present in SITEK again. He thanked all the workers who worked for 7 days and congratulated them for keeping their word and being strong during the strike. He is very proud of the teaching workers who were there during these 7 days of strike.
Yesterday morning, after they met with the minister, mr. Plantijn explained everything they got thanks to their strike. The matter came until 2001 when SITEK obtained the right to negotiate working conditions for teaching workers. In 2016 they went much further when they only negotiated the circumstances. They did not remember then, not only about us, but about teaching in its entirety. Plantijn also expressed that SITEK is not tied to any political party. Everything that SITEK does, comes from its own resources and strengths.
An agreement was signed in 2016 and until today almost nothing of that was fulfilled. He said that the ministries in turn since the country Curaçao was established, have a public official that harms the workers, our children and imbalances the teaching. Every time this public official goes with pension, they put him back there. The current minister was asked when SITEK went to a negotiation meeting, that this lady was not present in it.
Last Tuesday morning they met with Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Education. The Minister of Finance said that, if it is an acquired right, they have the right to obtain it and enjoy that right, which is the teacher’s promotion to go to B, C and D. It is a right and they have the right to Be done with that. SITEK was asked to wait for a count. After leaving the meeting in the morning, at noon they went to the Minister of Education and they discussed their case A for B and it was confirmed that SITEK was really right. All people will go from A to B, and everyone will get their salary benefits. It was ratified.
