ORANJESTAD, St. Eustatius – Healthcare workers on St. Eustatius gathered on Saturday to add their voices to the growing call for the introduction of a 36-hour work week for healthcare employees in the Caribbean Netherlands.
The gathering was part of a coordinated campaign led mainly by the AFBW union on Bonaire and the Alfor1 union on St. Eustatius. The unions are calling for the current 40-hour work week to be reduced to 36 hours, while maintaining existing salaries and pension prospects.
Healthcare workers say it is increasingly difficult to accept that employees of the central government, including those working for the Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland (RCN), now have a 36-hour work week, while many healthcare employees continue to work 40 hours.
On St. Eustatius, employees from the Queen Beatrix Medical Center, Auxiliary Home and MHC were among those who gathered at the Alfor1 office on Saturday. Several workers explained why they support the campaign and stressed the demanding nature of working in healthcare.
“I really hope the ministry listens to our call,” one healthcare worker said. “Working in healthcare is not easy, and there is no reason why we should be treated differently from civil servants.”
FNV backs union calls
The campaign has meanwhile also gained support from FNV in the Netherlands, adding the backing of one of the country’s largest trade union organizations to the call from healthcare workers in the Caribbean Netherlands.
The call for a shorter work week is being supported by healthcare workers across all three BES-islands. The unions are pressing for equal treatment and a reduction in working hours without loss of income or pension benefits.
