With the economy of St. Maarten being faced with the Post-Irma effects, the Ministry of VSA is very cognizant of the amount of labor disputes on the rise. The community has been calling on the Minister of Labor to take action, however it is important for the community to understand that the role of the Minister/Ministry is to provide advisory support to employers and employees on their rights and the labor laws, mediation services for conflict resolution outside of court, and legal assistance to help those that do not have the financial means to obtain a lawyer if they feel their rights have been abused.
“We take labor relations very seriously, these are going to be difficult times but if we do it together we can come through as a country. We have several programs in place that are aimed to support those displaced through unemployment. Concerns of financial support and maintaining health insurance benefits are also being addressed. We want to encourage employers to be complaint in adhering to the labor laws. Compliance in these times is critical to the bouncing back our country and the well-being of our people,” stated Minister Emil Lee at Wednesday’s press briefing.
Persons seeking information pertaining to labor disputes can contact the Department of Labor Affairs and Social Services via email: labor-affairs@sintmaartengov.org, tel: +1 721 520 5279, or visit the offices at the Bew Government Administration Building located on Pond Island, Philipsburg.