The crowd of protestors as they made their way into the hospital on Monday afternoon.
CAY HILL–Workers of the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) stood in solidarity with fellow colleagues of the Finance Department in protest against what they saw as the intimidation, disrespect and bullying tactics meted out to them by SMMC’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Marco Meuleman.
On Monday members of the Windward Islands Health Care Workers Union Association (WIHCWUA) joined by members of the unified unions convened at the hospital grounds in protest.
For several months the workers of the Finance Department have voiced their concerns with the CFO, however, the situation remained unchanged.
On Tuesday, June 16, during a meeting held with the SMMC’s management team and representatives of WIHCWUA, workers of the Finance Department presented a petition of no confidence. This move took place after the workers voiced their concerns directly to Meuleman in April.
On Thursday, June 18, workers of the Finance Department dressed in black as a form of silent protest. SMMC workers in other departments wore black bands on their upper arms in support of their colleagues. A representative of the workers said at that time, that “action will escalate on Monday” if they received no response to their petition.
On Saturday, June 20, the union’s president and board members held a press conference where they addressed the concerns workers have been facing with the CFO.
During this press conference, WIHCWUA president Brunilda Illidge addressed the complaints the union has received from workers specifically in the Finance Department. She said many had experienced intimidation by the CFO who used his position within the hospital to his advantage. Meuleman also heads the Human Resource (HR) department.
According to Illidge, Meuleman used his position to gain access to workers’ files to identify those who are under contract, those who are members of the union and to identify who are the assertive workers in the hospital. He further used this information to bully and intimidate workers at his will.
On Monday, WIHCWUA joined the unified unions and members of the Windward Islands Chamber of Labour Unions (WICLU) in a march throughout Philipsburg.
After the march ended at the Little League Stadium, the unified unions in display of their solidarity with members of WIHCWUA, continued with the demonstration at the hospital grounds.
Led by WIHCWUA members, the unified unions marched into the hospital. Hospital workers further amassed on the second floor and circled the corridors chanting “Marco Polo has to go,” “Enough is enough” and “Touch one, touch all.” They stood outside his office demanding that the CFO come out and address them in person.
The crowd was eventually addressed by Medical Director Dr. Felix Holiday. In his address to the crowd he said, “I can see actions speak louder than words … your message will be delivered and your leader will be informed.”
The WIHCWUA will hold a demonstration today, Tuesday, at the hospital.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/fed-up-smmc-workers-protest-against-cfo
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