WILLEMSTAD – The MAN-PIN faction in Curaçao’s Parliament is taking a firm stand against labor discrimination with the introduction of a new legislative proposal to amend the Arbeidsregeling 2000 (Labor Regulation 2000). The goal of the proposed reform is to ensure that workers in the port and aviation sectors are no longer subject to unequal treatment compared to workers in other industries on the island. 

The faction argues that the principle of “equal pay for equal work” is a fundamental right rooted in the constitutional guarantee of equality. MAN-PIN’s proposed changes target longstanding disparities in compensation and working conditions affecting employees in the harbor and aviation sectors—particularly those related to public holiday pay, working hours, and overtime protections. 

This legislative initiative follows a meeting with the SSK trade union federation, which raised serious concerns about systemic discrimination. SSK highlighted that workers in the port and airport sectors are denied 100% holiday pay compensation that other employees receive, and are not granted the same legal protections when it comes to work hours and rest time. 

To address these concerns, SSK submitted a draft law to Parliament, which the MAN-PIN faction has now formally introduced. The proposed law would eliminate all forms of discrimination against workers in these two vital sectors, granting them the same rights and protections enjoyed by their peers elsewhere in the labor market. 

"This reform is about correcting an injustice," said a spokesperson for MAN-PIN. "Discrimination has no place in our labor laws. We must enact legal changes that are in the best interest of all workers." 

This marks the second legislative effort by MAN-PIN aimed at tackling labor discrimination. The first bill, which proposes eliminating wage discrimination based on age for young workers between 16 and 20 years old, is set to be debated in a public parliamentary session on July 3. That bill has already passed through advisory reviews from the Social and Economic Council (SER) and the Council of Advice, clearing the way for parliamentary discussion. 

With these proposals, MAN-PIN is reinforcing its commitment to fairness, equality, and justice in the workplace—a message that is resonating strongly within the broader community of workers and unions on the island.