State Insurance Fund union ratifies strike vote, warns of escalating labor dispute

By THE STAR STAFF

The union representing employees of the State Insurance Fund Corporation (CFSE by its initials in Spanish), the equivalent of the workmen’s compensation fund, ratified a strike vote over the weekend, signaling a sharp escalation in a long‑running labor dispute with the agency’s administration.

The CFSE Employees Union (UECFSE by its initials in Spanish) confirmed that its membership approved the measure during an extraordinary assembly, arguing that years of stalled negotiations and unresolved operational issues have left workers with no alternative.

“The ratified vote is a firm and unequivocal message: workers are tired of waiting and of hearing promises that never translate into solutions,” UECFSE President Raymond Valentín Matta said in written remarks.

He noted that the union has repeatedly presented its demands “responsibly,” but the lack of concrete responses has forced members to prepare to use the tools afforded to them under the law.

Among the unresolved matters cited by the union are the implementation of the long-delayed Classification and Retribution Plan, the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement, the distribution of uniforms, more than 2,400 pending grievances, and what they describe as a significant number of unfilled positions. According to the union, administrative delays have worsened workloads and undermined service delivery across the corporation.

“These issues have been waiting far too long for attention,” Valentín Matta said. “While the administration delays solutions, it is employees who face heavier workloads and who sustain the corporation’s services every day. We demand concrete answers, verifiable commitments, and compliance dates.”

The union emphasized that it remains willing to participate in a serious process that produces real solutions but warned it will not accept further delays or “unproductive meetings.” Valentín Matta added that CFSE Administrator Enid Ortiz Rodríguez “still has the opportunity to act responsibly and prevent this conflict from escalating.”

The UECFSE said it will soon announce the coordinated actions it plans to undertake, including timelines and mechanisms for executing the strike vote authorized by its membership.

Ortiz Rodríguez stated later on Monday that she has no information to validate the alleged ratification of the strike vote and gave assurances that services are continuing as normal.

“Despite the Union president’s ambivalence, I recognize the commitment and dedication to service of the majority of its members, who know firsthand the needs of our injured workers and work daily to address them,” Ortiz Rodríguez said in a written statement.

According to the administrator, unionized employees who attended the meeting indicated that the matter was put to a vote but failed to gain the support of the membership present; instead, it was made contingent upon consulting workers from all regions.

Ortiz Rodríguez maintained that some 178 of the union’s 1,219 members participated. The CFSE administrator’s statement did not include a reaction from the union regarding that account.

The public corporation and the union have been engaged in collective bargaining negotiations since Feb. 11. Meetings are held every other Wednesday, while the remaining dates are reserved for union caucuses.

Regarding the new Classification and Compensation Plan, the administrator said it remains under review by the Financial Oversight and Management Board.