Ponson: Healthy Psychosocial Work Environment

According to activist Milton Ponson, the labor situation in Aruba is characterized by various negative factors. First, many ILO conventions and protocols have NOT been ratified in Aruba, and of those that have been ratified and implemented in national labor legislation, several are not enforced, such as the Labor Inspectorate and proper control over occupational safety and health. Furthermore, union representation, a right enshrined in both principal UN human rights treaties applicable to Aruba, has been systematically violated since 1986 by employers, mainly in the hotel and tourism sector. Ponson explains that the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) highlights that monopsony occurs in the Caribbean islands when many people are seeking work but there are few employers, typically concentrated in few economic sectors like tourism, and for that reason employers can afford to offer employment below fair wages and block negotiations for union representation. A 2023 IADB study determined that workers’ wages average 46% less than the income generated per work position for the employer. Ponson concluded: ‘In Aruba, these two issues of monopsony and labor abuse, which were brought to light by AVP MP Carlos Bermudez, must be addressed for us to achieve a healthy psychosocial work environment in Aruba, with fair wages and respecting the dignity and rights of workers.’