PHILIPSBURG: --- Juliana Handlers have not paid its workers, it is the only company on the airport to abandon its employees. SMN News understands that all companies operating at PJIAE paid their employees even though the airport has closed off its operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to some employees that prefer to remain anonymous said that they worked for two weeks in the month of March and were not paid for their services. The employees that contacted SMN News said that they are now seeking legal advice as to how they should move forward since employers are obliged to follow the labor laws and pay its workers especially if they applied for the payroll stimulus.
SMN News further learned that some Member of Parliament approached the CEO of PJIAE Brian Mingo while he was in parliament last week and requested that PJIAE takes up the payroll for Juliana Handlers since the company is in financial trouble. While MPs are legislators they are forcing their political will towards Government-owned companies to benefit their friends and families while government has absolutely no say over the operations of these government-owned companies. Questions are now being raised as to what these companies did with their reserves since they have been well paid by the airlines operating at PJIAE.
Efforts made to reach Dylcia Lake Managing Director of Juliana Handlers have proven futile.
Several employees also from other companies such as Island Finance also contacted SMN News stating that while they received a salary for April they were informed that the company will not be paying salaries at the end of this month.
The company in a letter to its employees stated that they are not eligible for the payroll support and as such, they are compelled to either send their employees on mandatory unpaid vacation, or employees who have not taken their vacation for this year should take their accrued vacation days. The employees were also asked to sign an agreement with the new policy the company generated due to COVID-19.
The company in its letter informed the employees that while they have lost income due to the current pandemic and lockdown they can be eligible for compensation due to loss of income.
Some companies have also decided to cut their employee's salaries without considering that these workers have expenses such and rent, utility bills, and food.
