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Conflict over wage standards for Curaçao government companies threatens to escalate

WILLEMSTAD – The directors of the government companies threaten to go to court if the government sticks to capping their salaries to 295,000 guilders. They demand that the upper limit be set at 445,000 guilders, which in their view is already a bend because until recently it was 535,000 guilders. 

WILLEMSTAD

– The directors of the government companies threaten to go to court if the government sticks to capping their salaries to 295,000 guilders. They demand that the upper limit be set at 445,000 guilders, which in their view is already a bend because until recently it was 535,000 guilders.

 

The reason for the dispute is the national ordinance that is being prepared for standardizing top incomes in the public or semi-public sector. These may not exceed 130% of the Prime Minister’s salary. This fulfills the condition that the Netherlands set 2 years ago for the provision of liquidity support for a total of almost 1 billion at zero interest. The national ordinance has still not been adopted, partly due to the resistance of the directors of government companies – whose salaries can rise to more than 1 million.  

The reason for the dispute is the national ordinance that is being prepared for standardizing top incomes in the public or semi-public sector. These may not exceed 130% of the Prime Minister’s salary. This fulfills the condition that the Netherlands set 2 years ago for the provision of liquidity support for a total of almost 1 billion at zero interest. The national ordinance has still not been adopted, partly due to the resistance of the directors of government companies – whose salaries can rise to more than 1 million. 

 

The delay has major consequences for all lower-paid civil servants. They had to hand in 12.5% of their wages in the context of the corona loans. As long as the top incomes have not been standardized, the Pisas cabinet will not receive permission from The Hague to phase out the wage reduction for ‘ordinary’ civil servants, while there is sufficient room in the budget for this.  

The delay has major consequences for all lower-paid civil servants. They had to hand in 12.5% of their wages in the context of the corona loans. As long as the top incomes have not been standardized, the Pisas cabinet will not receive permission from The Hague to phase out the wage reduction for ‘ordinary’ civil servants, while there is sufficient room in the budget for this. 

 

The government unions have a ‘plan B’ and that is the refinancing of the corona loans outside the Netherlands. That would mean that the country will have to spend several tens of millions extra annually in interest charges. The question is whether there are any parties that want to lend money to Curaçao in view of the country’s low creditworthiness. 

The government unions have a ‘plan B’ and that is the refinancing of the corona loans outside the Netherlands. That would mean that the country will have to spend several tens of millions extra annually in interest charges. The question is whether there are any parties that want to lend money to Curaçao in view of the country’s low creditworthiness.

https://www.curacaochronicle.com/post/main/conflict-over-wage-standards-for-curacao-government-companies-threatens-to-escalate/

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