PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Interim Manager of GEBE Dr. Sharine Daniel on Monday said discussions about the proposed new CLA with employee union SMCU are ongoing and that preparations are underway to host several informative meetings with GEBE personnel in order to give them an update on the status of the new proposed CLA and the proposed social plan.
Daniel explained that negotiations with the union started since pre-hurricane Irma and has been ongoing ever since. She added that due to the pandemic crisis period, NV GEBE has encountered its challenges just like all other companies where its revenues have been affected in a negative way.
“As a result in order to guarantee the continuity and financial health of the company, the Supervisory Board and myself is currently reviewing the proposed CLA. I informed the SMCU accordingly a few weeks ago and assured them that the required legal and financial reviews are being performed without any further delays. These legal and financial reviews are required to ensure that NV GEBE can comply with any cost-increasing proposals despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business,” Dr. Daniel said.
Dr. Daniel also noted that currently NV GEBE (Management & Staff) is in harmony and it is “my intention that it remains that way by being not only objective and fair but also transparent with open communication to NV GEBE employees. The ongoing discussions regarding the CLA with SMCU is an internal matter, but employees can rest assure that this matter has my full attention as I have the best interest of the company and the employees at heart,” Dr. Daniel concluded.
