Oranjestad- Unhappiness about the functioning of All for 1 Union president Sidney ‘Ra’ Arnaud, has led to the dismissal of the president of Statia’s first and -so far- only local union.

The Board of All for 1 felt compelled to act against Arnaud after receiving various letters from union members expressing their concern for the way the union was being managed by Arnaud and sensitive issues were being dealt with.

In a meeting called on December 23 and executed on December 27th, 2018 on the premises of the Auxiliary Home, the motion calling for the dismissal of Arnaud was voted on and unanimously approved. Subsequently board members Jacintha Brice and Tyrson Euson in the respective capacities as Secretary and Treasurer of the All for 1 Board wrote a letter to Arnaud notifying him of his termination as president. The same meeting has voted on the appointment of Charles Woodley as interim president till a new president has been identified and appointed.

Arnaud in the letter, dated December 27, 2018 has been instructed to turn over office keys, car keys and the union’s laptop, among other things to the Union’s Board.

Gratitude

The Board of All for 1 in the same letter expressed gratitude for Arnaud’s service to the Union. “We would like to recognize that without you, the Union would hardly have survived the passing of her founder, Mrs. Christie Van der Sande”, according to the letter to Arnaud.

The call for Arnaud’s dismissal came from all organizations organized by All for 1, namely the St. Eustatius Health Care Foundation (SEHCF), members of the union at the Auxiliary Home, Colorfin and NuStar, where most if not all affiliated employees signed for the request to have Arnaud dismissed.

Complaints about Arnaud

The biggest complaint against Arnaud, as the BES-Reporter understands from talking to some of the key players, was that Arnaud acted too much as on his own, without consulting relevant others. This was especially a strong complaint from the employees at SEHCF/Auxiliary Home, after Arnaud signed a so called covenant affecting the Collective Labor Union (CLA) in place at the organization.

The same covenant signed for by Arnaud, in the meantime has led to protest and union action at Fundashon Mariadal in Bonaire, as the union representing the employees at Bonaire’s hospital (AFBW) are strongly against some of the proposals put forth by the employers.

In the meantime former All for 1 past president Charles Woodley will act as interim president, till a new president has been appointed for the union.