Health Care workers on Saba on Friday morning got the opportunity to vote for the union of their choice at the A.M. Edward’s Medical Center and at the Hon. Henry Every old Age Home.
The Government Mediator Mr. Kenneth Lopes accompanied by the representatives of the Windward Islands Health Care Union, president Mr. Julian Lynch, Mr. Gregory Arrindell and Brunilda Illidge.
The employees of the A. M. Edward’s Medical Center were the fist to show up to vote in the referendum a total of 26 persons were eligible to participate in the referendum but due to the fact that two of the nurses are presently following a course on the island St. Maarten only 24 showed up to vote, of which all 24 voted in favor of the WIHCU. The union had a landslide victory as there were no other union contesting the elections. Following the voting at the hospital the employees of the Hon. Henry Every Old Age Home were next to vote of which a total of 12 were registered to vote but only 10 came out to vote and this was due to the fact that one of the employees is presently of island sick and one did not show up to vote. The union also obtained the majority of 10 votes making them also the union of the choice of the employees.
A very delighted Julian Lynch on Friday afternoon following the elections stated that he was very honored that the health workers on Saba had chosen their union to represent them. We will do our best to gave the new members our fullest attention and good representation and we look forward in having a fruitful working relationship working together in the general interest of everyone.
Mr. Lynch said that we realize also that there are some employees that are on contracts that were not able to make use of the opportunity to vote, but we would like to guarantee them that we will be also working in their interest.
Public Relations Officer of the union Mr. Gregory Arrindell said that today is a joyful day for the island of Saba in general, at last the workers in the health care sector will now have a union to represent them and we look forward in working very close with them to champion their rights. With the pending new structures such as the privitization of the Hospital and the merger with the Old Age home we look forward in representing the workers and making sure that their rights are being respected at all times. Mr. Arrindell in his congratulatory words said that he had much appreciation for Mr. Dave Levenstone who from day one contacted the Windward Islands Health Care Union with the possibility of coming over and meeting with the employees, today we have reached this far with the strong input from Mr. Levenstone who assisted us fully. We also look forward in working very close with him on Saba in the general interest of the workers.
Mr. Dave Levenstone in thanking Mr. Lynch and Mr. Arrindell said that he was more or less in a very awkward position because being part of the board of the Benevolent Foundation Saba I saw myself contacting the union for them to come in and represent the employees but that is based on the fact that I strongly feel that the employees needed to be represented by a good union that will be able to stand up for their rights. With this chapter now closed discussions will soon start with the ABVO union on Curacao to have all other civil servants on Saba unionized. We realize that with Saba becoming a public entity our civil servants must be unionized. We have to have a strong labor union representing the civil servants on Saba. We are going through many changes and we have to have representation in order to help look out for our rights.
Also attending the closing part of the referendum was the Act. Lt. Governor of Saba Mr. Roy Smith who also happens to be the President of the Benevolent Foundation Saba operators of the Hon. Henry Every Old Age Home.
The mediator Mr. Kenneth Lopes was assisted during the referendum by the head of the Insular Department of Labor Ms. Lucia Woods.
