PHILIPSBURG--The unions represented in the Windward Islands Chamber of Labour Unions (WICLU) are not happy with the way the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) is ignoring the celebration of Labour Day on the island.
Labour Day is an official holiday on the island and is recognized on May 1 annually. This year SCDF scheduled the Grand Parade on that day.
“The Foundation needs to respect the workers of the island. Labour Day is for the workers and just like how the SCDF moved the Children’s Parade from Palm Sunday to a Saturday, May 1 should have been respected also,” stated WICLU President Claire Elshot.
WICLU consists of Windward Islands Civil Servants Union/Private Sector Union (WICSU/PSU), Workers Institute for Organised Labour (WIFOL), ABVO St. Maarten Union, Nationale Algemene Politie Bond (NAPB), Windward Islands Teachers Union (WITU) the Anti-Poverty Platform and the St. Maarten Communications Union (SMCU).
Elshot said SCDF had taken the workers into consideration in the past and created the Labour Day Parade, formally known as the Second Day Parade.
“The Council of Churches protested publicly about any Sundays being used for Carnival during the Lent season and the current SCDF board complied. Now, what about our workers?” asked Elshot.
The unions’ umbrella decided to organise an honouring ceremony on May 1 in collaboration with Minister of Labour Emil Lee. Three persons will be honoured during the day and the ceremony will take place at the new Government Administration Building.
