Arubus workers still see no light at the end of the tunnel, as the union representing them has not reached an agreement on the salary structure. This means there is still no satisfactory CAO (collective labor agreement) in sight.
There are strong indications that many workers are extremely frustrated and have lost confidence in the union. Despite ongoing discussions, there has been no solution to their problems. Reportedly, a strike was planned for this past Tuesday, but workers refused to proceed because if they stopped working for more than two hours, their salaries would be deducted. Who would take responsibility for that— the union? Certainly not.
Last year, SEPPA announced what seemed like positive news: the Minister at the time agreed with the proposal on the table, which was supposed to be sent to Parliament for approval. The plan included compensation for extending the CAO through 2025. Yet, workers are still waiting while the government now claims there is no money to fulfill the agreement.
Meanwhile, multiple problems continue at Arubus. It is an open secret that there is serious tension between the Operations Department and the Garage. There is no dialogue, even though several buses remain out of service in the garage because the operational department refuses to “lower its head” to resolve the issues.
According to inside sources, the situation at Arubus is chaotic. To make matters worse, there are internal conflicts within SEPPA itself between a former leader and the current secretary general, which is creating even more doubt among Arubus delegates.
How much longer will Arubus workers have to wait before Minister Dowers listens to them? How long will it take before a broader strike becomes inevitable in their fight for justice? The workers have not yet taken drastic action because they care deeply about the public. They know what it means for passengers—especially students—when Arubus suspends its services. Despite everything, they continue to put the community first while fighting for their rights.
Photo Credits : https://diario.aw/categories/noticia/general/te-ainda-no-ta-mira-e-luz-na-final-di-e-tunel-pa-trahadornan-di-arubus
