ORANJESTAD, St. Eustatius – The St. Eustatius Health Care Foundation (SEHCF) has reached an agreement with the unions All for 1 and Suplua regarding the longstanding Cessantia dispute involving employees from the former OLE period.
According to SEHCF, the dispute centered on whether employees retained Cessantia rights from the period before they formally joined the health care foundation. After several months of discussions, the parties said they reached a balanced solution for both employees and the organization, avoiding what could have become a lengthy legal process.
A meeting was held on May 21 for current and former employees who had previously raised questions or objections regarding the matter. During the meeting, the agreement was explained in detail and employees were given the opportunity to sign individual settlement agreements.
SEHCF Director and CEO Flip van Woerkom described the agreement as the result of open dialogue and constructive cooperation between management and the unions.
Charles Woodley, president of the union All for 1, stated that the agreement demonstrated that differences could be resolved respectfully, while Suplua president Ludwina Charles said the outcome showed that cooperation between unions and management can lead to clear agreements benefiting both employees and the organization.
