A-Team workers in court to retrieve unpaid salaries

May 27, 2013 9:09 AM
PHILIPSBURG - Some 58 of 70 workers of A-Team Security Services have proceeded with legal action against their employer to secure their unpaid salaries for February and April.
 
The Court of First Instance heard the case Friday, with the workers, several of whom were present at the Courthouse, being represented by attorney at law Aernout Kraaijeveld of Gibson and Associates.
 
The injunction, which includes a lien to the amount of NAf. 515,000 on bank accounts, was filed against US-based security company Caribbean Dogs K9, represented by attorney Quincy Girigorie of Bokkes Fontein law office in Curaçao.
 
Owner of A-Team Security Services Willem van Baren had said last month that his workers had not yet been paid for February, because several companies under the Maho Group still owe his company money.
 
He declined to say how much he was owed, but said included in the amount were the extra monies workers should have received on their salaries as a result of the indexation of the minimum wage that became effective January 1.
  A-Team's owner had taken over the contract with the Maho Group companies from Checkmate Security Company when he purchased A-Team.
 
The security officers involved in the injunction were posted at all of Maho's properties, including Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Casino Royale, Maho Village, Royal Islander Club, AquaMarina, BlueMarine Residences, The Villas at Porto Maho and Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort.
 
Attorney Girigorie told Judge René van Veen on Friday that in the company's opinion the lien should be lifted, because it was "unfounded and incorrect."
 
According to the lawyer, the workers were due payment of their monthly salaries for February and March to the tune of NAf. 239,712 in total, minus an advance of $29,000, which had already been paid out to workers.
 
He requested for the lien to be lifted. In case of non-compliance, he requested a daily fine of $5,000 to be imposed.
 
Girigorie admitted that mistakes were made with the payouts of salaries, but stated that these were due to the fact that money had been stolen from the company. He said a formal complaint had been filed with the police in connection with fraud.
 
The workers claim that the problems started due to a (fiscal) reorganisation of the company, which consists of several NV's, which are all employing different groups of workers.
 
Girigorie, however, claimed that salaries for April and May would have been paid out if there had not been a lien. The lien was placed last month.
 
Judge van Veen, who will give his decision on Friday, May 31, wondered why parties had not been able to reach an agreement.
 
He, however, added that he understood that a lien had been placed to prevent that "everything would be gone."
 
"Continuing the legal procedures will not work," the judge said, indicating that a structural solution needs to be found for the payout of salaries of workers, who are employed by different NV's.
 
Girigorie assured that despite the company's debts, money would be made available to pay out salaries shortly.
 
(The Daily Herald)

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