Kralendijk- A work group on Bonaire has taken the initiative to bring the Dutch union FNV to the special municipalities Bonaire, St. Eustiatus and Saba.

According to the work group, there are a lot of things on the local job markets that need attention. “This starts at the moment of recruitment. There is no ethical code in place which protects people applying for a job. Also in the work place there is little social justice. There are few options for part time work, and there is little support for the difficult situation of pensioners”, says one of the driving forces behind the initiative, Edwina Molina.

The initiative is a follow-up of an internal work group at FNV, Caribbean, started by Imelda Tjon-Fo, herself of Surinames heritage. A study executed on behalf of FNV showed that there are no hurdles for the union to become active in the Caribbean parts of the Netherlands.

Competition

The idea for the local FNV representation is not to compete with the other unions, active on the islands. “On the contrary, we should reinforce one another”, said Molina. The group has now started a list where interested parties can put their support behind the local initiative. “A lot of work, really, says Molina. But it is needed. There are so many issues on our local labor markets and we need new initiatives and new support, especially for employees outside of the Government sector.