CAY HILL – The Mental Health Foundation (MHF) and the ABVO St. Maarten Labour Union signed their very first Collective Labor Agreement (CLA) on Friday, February 7th 2025 at the MHF head office, a landmark moment for the foundation and its staff. The agreement signing was the result of years of diligent negotiation and dedication to staff well-being.
The journey towards this CLA started in August 2019, when a staff referendum confirmed the ABVO St. Maarten Labour Union as the bargaining union for MHF employees. After years of groundwork, actual negotiations between MHF and the union accelerated from 2023 to 2024, leading to an agreement on each article and the presentation of the Financial package on April 16, 2024. The covenant was signed on July 18, 2024 and the official CLA was signed and ratified on February 7, 2025.
This agreement shows MHF’s efforts in promoting workplace safety, financial responsibility and transparent employee incentives, leading to an improved workplace for its employees.
One of the pivotal aspects of the negotiation process was the structuring of the financial package, which was carefully drafted, reviewed and accepted by the union. The complete CLA document underwent rigorous legal review to guarantee accuracy and benchmarking against other medical entities in the Dutch Kingdom guaranteed fairness and competitiveness.
Progressional People Caribbean, a key HR management company, played a crucial role in facilitating the negotiations. Their expertise in labor agreements maintained the process flow and guaranteed the agreement’s adaptation to industry standards. The firm was first introduced to the process in November 2022 and acted as the lead negotiator on behalf of MHF, restructuring key articles of the CLA and ensuring a smooth transition to the final agreement.
Additionally, members of the service group were instrumental in pushing the agenda of employees during the negotiation process. Even though the group began with four members, two of them continued to be active until the signing of the agreement, pushing the rights of employees and making sure that they were heard.
With the CLA now signed, the next phase will focus on implementation and communication. Employees will be distributed booklet copies of the CLA as soon as possible, so that there is transparency and awareness of their new rights and benefits.
One of the first noticeable changes for employees will be an increase in the vacation allowance by 8.3% which per the agreement went into effect January 2025 to be paid out end of May 2025, which will continue to underpin the foundation’s investment in staff wellbeing.
MHF acknowledges the benefits of union partnership, observing that a formal Collective Labor Agreement (CLA) enhances communication between employees and management, job satisfaction and ultimately workplace productivity.
“This milestone agreement is the result of many hours and days of dialogue, negotiation and especially collaboration. This agreement also symbolizes the commitment between MHF and our valued employees to move forward with a solid base for development in a productive environment. This deserves sincere congratulations to all employees of MHF,” said Mr. Sandro Garcia, Financial and Operations Director of MHF.
“With perseverance and patience from all involved, we were finally able to accomplish the first CLA in the history of MHF. Saying this, I would like to express my gratitude to the Board of MHF, the AVBO board and its service members, Ms. Juliette Hassel (Progressive People) as well as our HR Manager Mrs. Carina Ellis, for completing this journey, by means of mutual understanding, respect and support throughout the process,” Mr. Garcia concluded.
“We are pleased to announce the successful negotiation and signing of a CLA between the Mental Health Foundation and its dedicated staff. This achievement is the result of extensive discussions, conducted with mutual respect and a commitment to fairness, ensuring the best possible outcome for all parties involved. While the CLA has now been finalized, all parties remain committed to upholding the principles of openness, transparency and constructive dialogue moving forward,” President of ABVO St. Maarten Mr. Sharlon Catalina stated.
This historic CLA marks the beginning of a new era for MHF, one in which employees can feel secure in their roles and confident in their future.
