Meeting between unions and Ministry of Finance bears fruit

April 18, 2023  –WILLEMSTAD – On Monday morning, unions ABVO and STRAF, the Customs department, and the Ministry of Finance held a meeting to discuss the working conditions of customs personnel. The request from the Customs department was heard, and discussions were held on intensifying objectives and reform plans, according to a press release from Minister Javier Silvania of Finance. 

During the meeting, concrete agreements were made on personnel matters, and everything was documented in an action plan. Based on the plan and in coordination with the ABVO and STRAF unions, the Customs Decree will be modernized, and solutions will be found for issues such as shift duties and the observation allowance. In addition, several customs officers have received a salary increase or an anniversary bonus. 

A task force will address the outstanding personnel matters, with concrete process and work agreements made. These agreements will be detailed in an action plan and progress dashboard, to be presented within two weeks. 

Previously, customs personnel had gone on strike because they felt that they were not consulted in discussions regarding their employment rights. The next meeting will take place at the end of May, where the plan of action for the next six months will be extensively discussed.