The Courthouse in Marigot. (Robert Luckock photo)
MARIGOT--The court ruled in favour of the Collectivité on Tuesday and ordered union UNI.T 978 to remove all blockades that President Daniel Gibbs insisted were preventing access to various departments and services. Gibbs had resorted to the court system a few days ago to have the blockades removed.
An extract from the judgement read: “The union organisation UNI.T-978 and its legal representative Albert Blake, and all strikers claiming to be members of this union organisation, are ordered to remove all obstacles and blockades to free access to public services of the Collectivité with a fine of 50 euros per day if not complied with.”
The judgement also ordered “the immediate expulsion of the union UNI.T-978, and all the strikers claiming to be members of this union organisation, from all the sites of the Collectivité, with the assistance of public force if necessary.
“The present order will become enforceable in case of re-installation of blockades of the services of the Collectivité on simple production of a bailiff’s report establishing the obstruction of access to the services of the Collectivité to non-striking agents and to the general public.”
UNI.T 978 Secretary General Albert Blake said he was unfazed by the verdict and the strike will continue regardless with a different strategy.
“The President [Gibbs – Ed.] wanted to have us fined 5,000 euros and fined 500 euros per day if the blockages are still in place, but I’m pleased to say he did not get through with that,” Blake told Radio St. Martin. “Moreover, we did not receive any sanctions from the court except to remove the blockades.
“In no way, shape or form does this verdict discourage from continuing the strike. President Gibbs, who was elected to defend the interests of the population, has seen fit to take us to court when we are trying to defend the working of the same population that voted for him. We will continue until we get satisfaction.”
Blake declined to disclose the union strategy going forward, but assured there would be a sufficient “disturbance”, most likely more intense than previously demonstrated.
There was no reaction to the verdict from the Collectivité by press time.
