About 2,000 surgeries were cancelled as a result of work stoppages in the health sector, led by the Administrative Officers Association of the Social Security Fund (ANFACSS), which today enters its ninth day. This was confirmed by Javier Diaz, director of Medical Services of the Social Security Fund, adding that about 360 surgeries have not been scheduled. He added that they have lost 1,500 appointments of General Medicine.

New Proposal - Faced with the loss of appointments and the slow pace of dialogue between unions, the authorities of the Social Security Fund (CSS) and the Ministry of Health (MOH), the latter gave yesterday a proposal to be reviewed by union leaders. This proposal contains, among the main points, discounting the days not worked during the strike (docking of pay), and the establishment of a commission to create a program to retrieve appointments and surgeries that have been lost during downtime. Once this plan is implemented, they will pay for the time not worked during the strike.

The unions agreed to meet today to discuss this new proposal, despite having agreed to talk only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. "We will analyze the proposal made by the authorities, so today we hope to reach an end of conflict," said Priscilla Vasquez, president of the ANFACSS.

Although the negotiations held by the guilds of health are ongoing, ANFACSS held yesterday a protest on Via Transístmica. Starting a week ago, the 37 health unions remain on strike began a work stoppage demanding mainly the evaluation of the pay scale and better medical conditions for users. They added a demand for the reinstatement of the seven officials dismissed during the strike. (Siglo)

Editor's Comment: In the Panamanian public health system, people (patients) sometimes have to wait months for a medical appointment or a simple surgery. When they say that a surgery has been "lost" due to the strike, for the patient that means they now will have to wait an additional six months for the surgery to be reprogrammed.   

The government representatives who are in the dialogue with striking health care workers will l respond tomorrow to the counter proposal presented this morning by the the leaders of the unions, said Eusebio Munoz, mediator from the Catholic Church in these talks. Muñoz said "the positions have come closer" during the talks. However, the parties must consult and analyze the discussion. The meeting will resume tomorrow Wednesday, May 23, at 9:00 am.

After the proposal submitted by the various unions in the health sector, the representatives of the Social Security Fund and the Ministry of Health will have to go to consult with their respective boards of directors tomorrow to respond, said Muñoz. Meanwhile the medical and health technicians will be working on this approach. Munoz said in the dialogue there are some "small things" that need to be fixed. (Prensa)   

Barro Blanco, Chiriquí. - Members of the Coordinating Committee for the Protection of Natural Resources and the Rights of the Ngäbe Bugle People, and the Chief Silvia Carrera, met on Monday, May 21, to address the issue of Barro Blanco, after clashes since last Friday with officials from the National Police. Indigenous leaders called on their members to remain in their communities and maintain a calm atmosphere that allows for the continuation of the technical committee that was formed to discuss the issue of hydropower projects. For his part, Alberto Montezuma, fiscal coordinator, said they still have not done the technical examination of the project because the United Nations specialists hope to have a calm atmosphere in order to proceed. (Prensa)   

The secretary general of the Association of Employees of the Social Security Fund (Aeccs), Priscilla Vasquez, said on Monday, May 21, that all they are asking of state officials to end the strike, which has been ongoing since Monday 14 May, is that there are no reprisals against them and, moreover, they get paid for the days they have been protesting. "We demand measures and minimum guarantees to which we are are entitled. We are victims of repression and it is not fair that we be subjected to retaliation when the administration caused all this," Vasquez said, referring to measures taken by the authorities of the CSS with employees who insist on participating in the strike.

She added the director of the CSS, Guillermo Sáez-Llorens, declared the strike illegal, above the law and the Constitution, just to avoid paying employees for the days they have been on strike. "It is a lie that when there is a strike here (in Panama) that the employees are not paid for the days they do not work," said the spokeswoman for the Social Security employees in RCM News. Vásquez said Sáez-Llorens "pressured the officials who are on strike to leave their jobs in order to justify the deduction of those days."

She said the staff has never abandoned the provision of basic services of the CSS. "We have never abandoned the health services. That can not be done," she said. The leader said they are on strike to enforce an agreement signed in November 2011, the organic law of the CSS, and the Constitution. (Prensa)

Editor's Comment: Apparently the people who went out on strike represent just a small minority of the workers at the CSS. As such, the strike is apparently "illegal" in that unions are supposed to be representing the will and desires of the majority of workers, not just the political aspirations of a small minority. Once that was established, then it was perfectly legal for the leadership of the CSS to dock the pay of those who do not show up for work, or fire those who do not show up for work, because the strike was illegal. So now those who walked off of their jobs (illegally) are supposedly "fighting" for the pay which will not be docked, or not to be summarily fired from their positions for not showing up to work according to their contract. Listen folks, the CSS sat down with their employees last year and negotiated wage increases and other benefits. There is an implementation schedule that goes along with the agreement. And now this small group of rabble rousers are causing problems for their own political gain, and following their own political agenda. This weekend Saul Mendez came out on television to explain how the new FAD party has signed up 12,000 members. These two actions - the CSS strike and push by the FAD for new members, are related. End.   

Government Minister, Jorge Ricardo Fabrega said a minority group of indigenous Ngäbe Bugle Indians want to damage the peace that was achieved following the agreement signed with the government. Fabrega made these statements after several Indians, who are opposed to mining, yesterday invaded for a second day, the grounds of the Barro Blanco Hydroelectric Project in the province of Chiriqui, so that the authorities had to intervene.

The Indians when cornered by the National Police (PN), who fired tear gas, responded with stones.

Fabrega made his statements during a ground breaking ceremony for a new home for the elderly that will be constructed in Rio Abajo. (TVN)   

Tabasará, Chiriquí. - Ngäbe-Bugle Indians who for two consecutive days have clashed with riot police of the National Police (PN) on the grounds of the Barro Blanco hydeo electric project project warned this Sunday they could call new protest actions against the construction of this project.

Last night, after another confrontation between Indians and police, the natives decided to retreat to the mountainous areas located in the vicinity of that project, after they attempted to force their way in to establish a camp on the banks of the Tabasará river. "We will not rest until the government cancels the contract to build the Barro Blanco project," said Toribio Garcia, a spokesman for the Vigui Indians. Garcia added that although they have been repressed by the riot police, they insist on entering the project to prevent further construction.

On Sunday morning, there is still a contingent of the riot control police stationed at the entrance of the Barro Blanco project, which have been guarding the project since last Friday night, and they have been tasked with dispersing the Indians and disrupt their attempts to enter the project. The National Police also sent another contingent of crowd control offices who are stationed at the police station in Los Ruices, before the possibility that protests might take place in the sector of Vigui, located about 15 kilometers from the Barro Blanco project. (Prensa)

Editor's Comment: Once again, this is a minority action. Only a very small contingent of people are participating, who have been paid off to create problems for this project, and for the government.   

The Table of Dialogue between government and health unions and did not reach a consensus to end a strike that has paralyzed parts of the Panamanian public health system since Monday, 14 May 2012. Father Eusebio Munoz said they would restart the talks on Monday at 9:00 am, and during the weekend there will be bilateral meetings between the groups and the mediator. "There is no consensus, but there remains a desire for dialogue," Father Munoz told reporters. Meeting in San Antonio de Padua church in Bethania from 9:00 am yesterday, with the mediation of the Catholic Church, the two sides did not reach an agreement, specifically on the subject of reprisals against the officials who went on strike, demanding higher wages. Alvaro Lozano, vice president of the National Guild of Professional and Technical Services (Conagreprotsa) indicated there was no consensus by the government, but they have the disposition for a 'happy understanding'.

He said on Monday they expect a response from the government to take back to their members, and he denounced that there have been persecutions and administrative cases have been opened against the striking workers. Meanwhile, Javier Diaz, director of Medical Services of the Social Security Fund, acknowledged that there was no consensus at that time, and he said anyone who has been fired can file a complaint. According to Diaz, they are docking the pay of those who are not showing up for work to participate in the strike, and he also confirmed that seven officials have been dismissed.

The National Association of Administration of the Social Security Fund (ANFACCS) departed from the negotiation table, claiming that the government will not stop the retaliation, and they called upon the other groups and unions to intensify their actions. (Estrella)

   

The mediation of the Catholic Church yesterday managed to bring the health sector unions and the government together for talks, but the strike that began last Monday continues. After a two-hour meeting at the headquarters of the Metropolitan Curia, the groups agreed on the methodology to work in solving the conflict that is affecting attention to patients, both in the Social Security Fund (CSS) and the Ministry of Health for five days. Eusebio Munoz, representing the Catholic Church, said that among the points agreed is the meeting schedule: three times a week, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, at St. Anthony of Padua, at Bethania. The sessions begin today and is expected they will be completed no later than Friday 29 June. The parties agreed that sensitive issues be established at the first meeting, and then topic based committees will be created.

Priscilla Vasquez, secretary general of the Association of Employees of the CSS, said after today's meeting they will decide whether or not to end the strike.

Javier Diaz, director of Medical Services of the CSS, said they will take part in advancing the dialogue without conditions of any kind. (Prensa)   

The director of the Social Security Fund (CSS), Guillermo Sáez-Llorens, said he did not issue any arrest warrant against Fernando Castaneda, head of the National Negotiating Medical Coordinator (Comenenal) yesterday, Wednesday 16 May when was in the premises of the Hospital of Pediatrics. "We have not made ​​any arrest warrant, this is not our act," said the director of the Social Security Fund. He said Castaneda entered the hospital even though he does not work there, during the normal work schedule. "He tried to get some doctors to convince them to join the strike, and that I cannot permit," he said.

Meanwhile, the deputy director of the CSS, Marlon de Souza said the right to strike "does not give you the right to try to convince those who do not want to strike." Both officials told Noticias AM the proposed opening of dialogue remains open, as long as the strike ends.

For her part, the president of the Association of Employees of the CSS, Priscilla Vasquez said the strike will go on. "It is important to maintain a climate to create a dialog, which should not be reduced to the question of salaries," she said. She said the Catholic Church will come this afternoon to meet with officials from the Ministry of Labor. She added that today they will hold a peaceful protest, so she asks her colleagues not to fall into provocation. (Panama America)

Editor's Comment: First of all, since when can the Director of the CSS issue an arrest warrant, for anyone, ever? Yesterday supposedly this union guy Castaneda claims some security officers were going to try to "kidnap" him or whatever. I suspect the CSS officials simply ordered their security to escort him from the grounds, because he was not there to work, he was trying to get other doctors to join their strike, and he was disrupting the normal work and stability of the location. So, in order to score some political points he claimed they were going to "kidnap" him or whatever, which is probably BS. The strike is in it's fourth day, today. The CSS directors and the Minister of Health say they won't sit down to talks until the employees go back to work. In the meantime, they will dock the pay of anyone who doesn't show up. This is a minority action, so it's mostly political.   

Marches and even threats to arrest health union leaders were on the rise on Wednesday and the strike will complete its fourth day on Thursday. Fernando Castaneda, head of the National Negotiating Medical Coordinator (Comenenal) said the protests will continue, as they will be joined by more clinics in different parts of the country, including Bethania and others mentioned in the province of Chiriqui. Castañeda reiterated the work stoppage is not just over wage issues but to demand improvements in working conditions, and a solution to shortages of supplies and important medicines. Leaders of the health unions remained gathered at the Metropolitan Curia. The Catholic Church created a commission to mediate between the parties. (Telemetro)   

Four students were arrested during confrontations that occurred around the National Institute, said Mirta Mosquera, the chief of police of Children and Adolescents. Mosquera would not reveal where they took the students, however he said the Ministry of Education (Meduca) is the entity in charge of the students. At noon, a group of students protesting on the Avenue of the Martyrs faced the crowd control units of the Police at the time they were dispersed. So far investigations are being carried out to determine the damage done to the school and adjacent areas. (Panama America)

   

Striking workers from the Social Security Fund partially closed on Monday Via Transístmica in front of the Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid hospital of the CSS. Using burning tires and other objects the striking employees closed one lane of the roadway, one the side that goes to the district of San Miguelito. They set the objects on fire which caused a lot of smoke in the area. The road was closed at 11:55 on Monday and minutes later riot control units from the National Police intervened to reopen the road. Luis Lee, a leader of the protesters, said they have not been approached by the authorities to dialogue, and they demand higher wages. (Telemetro)

   

The warning issued yesterday by the authorities of the Social Security Fund (CSS) was clear. They will dock the pay of the 30,800 workers, doctors, cleaners and health professionals from five labor organizations, who have said they would participate in the strike called for today, if they do not show up for work. The workers are going on strike to demand a review of the pay scale. For their part, the CSS called upon patients today attend their "scheduled appointments and procedures" and to "not be fooled by a tiny group of officials."

In a statement, the agency said they do not understand the call to a strike, because for the first time in history there has been a general increase of wages for all employees. Yesterday afternoon the National Medical Negotiating Commission convened a press conference to reiterate their support to the striking health workers. They said that they, in turn, will hold a 48-hour strike, in both the CSS and the Ministry of Health to demand they comply. (Prensa)

Editor's Comment: Let's see if this is a small minority action that's going on strike for political reasons, or if they actually represent the majority of the workers. In fact, most of these kinds of strikes are political in nature, designed to make noise and create bad press, while those on strike simply do not represent, in fact, the will or the desires of the majority. It seems strange, but it happens all the time in Panama.    

A complaint was filed before the Labor Ministry against the largest liquor company in Panama, Varela Hermanos SA, on 13 April 2012 by the company's union workers, who reported alleged violations of the labor code and the failure to pay the current minimum wage. The Union of Workers of the Varela Hermanos and Affiliates (Sintevha), composed of 290 workers, does not rule out the possibility of calling for a strike if the company refuses to meet their demands, because according to them, their complaints are based on the Labor Code and the new minimum wage, which applies to all economic activities in the country. The Ordinary General Assembly of the Sintevha union, held on 24 March 2012, approved the submission to the Labor Ministry a list of demands for the violation of the labor code and decrees 240 and 241 against the company. On 28 and 30 December 2012, the Executive approved two decrees (240 and 241) that set a general salary increase for workers in sugar production, which remained at $2.80 an hour.

Discontent - The Sintevha hopes to reach an agreement with the company in a conciliation process without having to go on strike against the company. At the same meeting it was felt that Varela Hermanos also violate Article 137 of the Labor Code, which sets staggered wage increases based on seniority and performance.

The Mitradel has already been notified of the dispute and the entity proceeded to verify that all persons who signed the minutes of the meeting of Sintevha are part of the union. The institution also proceeded to notify the company of the demands being made by Sintevha for violations of the Labor Code and noncompliance with the minimum wage.

Last Friday, the company issued a statement saying they are reviewing "of formal cordial" the wage issue with the union. "We have always maintained a cordial relationship with our partners, and I am sure we will agree," said Luis Varela, vice president of the company.

The complaint filed by the workers disagrees with the political discourse of one of its owners, Vice President Juan Carlos Varela. During the 2009 political campaign Varela promoted an increase in general wages for Panamanians, but now his own workers report to the contrary. (Panama America)

Editor's Comment: I'm sure someone got to these union workers to let them know that whatever action they take against the Varela brothers would be met with the full support of the Labor Ministry. This is more of a political action, designed to paint Juan Carlos Varela as cheating his own company's workers. Ricardo Martinelli and the CD machine have used variations of this same trick on others - to highlight their flaws and to paint them as hypocrites. It's working. However it really doesn't make a whole lot of sense to focus on Juan Carlos Varela - the Panameñistas don't stand a chance of winning the 2014 elections on their own, and if they joined in an alliance with the PRD both Omar Torrijos and Arnulfo Arias would simultaneously roll over in their graves.   

The call for a general strike by members of the National Association of the Social Security Fund (Anfacss) is maintained for next Monday, May 14th, as reiterated by their Secretary General Gerardo Gonzalez this morning. He said the Director of the Social Security Fund, Guillermo Saez Llorens, uses the staff of the Directorate General and the Intranet of the institution to "promote" the wage increase proposal, which he claims violates Law 51 of the entity. Gonzalez said Saez Llorens has been called by the tripartite committee of the International Labour Organization (ILO) to respond to complaints about the persecution of labor leaders. He said in spite of the strike, they would attend emergency cases and hospitalizations. Also he called upon the families of patients to be in solidarity with them in this fight.

This call to a strike by these workers has been maintained, even though a few days ago the Director General of the Social Security Fund, Guillermo Saez Llorens, announced a phased salary adjustment from 10 to 14 percent for all employees of the entity, including doctors, starting in October 2012. At a press conference, Saez Llorens said wage increases will occur in two tranches, one by 8 percent in October this year and another 6 percent in April 2013 for those earning less than $799 per month. For staff earning between $800 and $1,499 per month, the increase is 12 percent, divided by 7 percent in October this year and 5 percent in April 2013. "None accrue less than $915 per month," he said. Saez Llorens also announced that those earning more than $1,500 will receive a 10 percent adjustment in their salaries, 6 per cent effective from October this year and 4 percent in April 2013. (TVN)

Editor's Comment: I guess they want the money now? Who goes on strike when you've already got a 14% increase in the bag? Makes no sense. Therefore, it's probably political.   

About 90 Copa Airlines employees, among them baggage handlers and aircraft cleaners who work the night shift, went on strike to demand better working conditions. Cristóbal Sousa, Secretary of Union of Employees of Airlines of Panama (SIELAS), stated Copa has hired the services of a company that performs the same functions, so they consider that to be a threat to their job security. Copa Airlines, through a statement, said the protest was illegal at the same time they announced that the strike is not affecting flight departures. (Siglo)

Editor's Comment: If a company has thousands of employees and one shift of plane cleaners stops working, is that a "strike?" That sounds much more like the need for a "new crew" to me. Collective bargaining means all of them, not just a handful of lazy dudes on the night shift. Breech of contract, strike or work stoppage is illegal, you're fired. Have a great life (somewhere else.)   

A group of Northern Corridor employees are protest at the toll booth in Tinajitas, demanding that representatives of the company pay the adequate compensation from the sale of the highway. The leader of the workers from the Northern and Southern corridors, Abdiel Meneses, said the protesters hope to talk to the company representatives, since everyone wants to get paid what they deserve, according to years of work. So far, the protest is only being performed at the toll booth in Tinajitas, so the workers are not charging the tolls, and right now the drivers can go through the toll booth and use the highway for free. Meneses said the protests will be extended to other toll booths. It was the official Ada Romero has appeared at the site, and is listening to the requests of the protesters. (Panama America)

   

Riot control police officers used pepper spray to disperse a protest by nursing technicians on Via Transístmica in front of the Metropolitan Hospital. After the police intervention, the nursing technicians were forced to fall back from the pavement of the road, after having closed one lane of traffic. Visibly affected by the pepper spray, Carlos Peralta, the Director of the Association of Nursing Technicians, announced the suspension of the dialogue that was supposed to start today with the government. The nursing technicians are on an indefinite strike, demanding the government honor an earlier commitment pay them higher wages. (TVN)   

In the midst of a rally on Transístmica, the nursing technicians in Panama extended their efforts to achieve a wage increase by declaring an indefinite strike. The groups decided to extend their 48-hour strike which started at 12:01 on Wednesday, 11 April 2012. Carlos Peralta, president of the National Association of Nursing Technicians (Anpate) said their General Assembly decided on the indefinite strike, and they called for reflection on the part of the Director of the Social Security Fund, Guillermo Sáez-Llorens. Minister of Health, Franklin Vergara, before the declaration of an indefinite strike, said there was no budget (to pay for a wage increase.) However, he never said he was opposed to seek a solution to the issue. The protesters are demanding a wage increase to $500 per month for Technicians I, and $550 per month for Technicians II, because now they are all paid just $405 per month. (Estrella)

   

As they had announced days ago, Nursing Technicians began this Wednesday, 11 April 2012, a 48 hour work stoppage (strike) which can be extended, to demand a salary adjustment alleging the wages they earn are very low. Members of the Association of Practical Nursing, who also requested a reclassification of the work they do, went on strike after the Minister of Health Franklin Vergara said there is no money in the budget to pay for a salary increase either this year or next year, and they would have to wait until 2014. His announcement was categorized by the nursing technicians as a lack of seriousness by the government, said their leader Carlos Peralta, when he said they had already reached an agreement (with the government) for a pay raise starting now and extending through 2014. The strikers have been carrying out peaceful protests as a warning since Monday, 9 April 2012, on the sides of the road on Via Transístmica, opposite the Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid hospital of the Social Security Fund. (Estrella)   

Protesting nursing technicians announced a work stoppage (strike) to pressure the Ministry of Health to make effective the pay raise they were promised in earlier days. Carlos Peralta, the association spokesman, said the government must comply with Law 53 which established that the increase should be given at once, and not implemented in 2013 as the Ministry of Health intends to do. Peralta said about 5,000 families are going hungry because they are keeping their salaries at $405 per month, which is why they demand an immediate response. Tomorrow they will hold a meeting of professionals in the provinces, but if they are not received they will hold a 48 hour work stoppage. (Dia a Dia)

   

About 150 workers employed in the construction of the subway tunnel segments in Panama City ended their strike, which lasted seven days, demanding better wages, according to sources of the consortium responsible for building the project. Workers and the consortium of Metro Line 1 last night agreed to resume the work to build the concrete segments or rings used to seal the underground tunnels, which were halted last Friday. "We have concluded successful negotiations and the work will continue," said a spokesman for the Metro Line 1 consortium on Thursday, composed of Spanish Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas (FCC), and Brazil's Odebrecht. The same source said details of the agreements reached will be reported by the workers.

Meanwhile, the spokesman of the workers, Carlos Gordon, told local media they decided to end the strike because the consortium agreed to improve wages and production bonuses for making concrete rings or segments. Gordon said one of the points agreed was the reclassification of workers according to their performance, but he gave no details of the wage increase agreement between the parties, local media reported.

Metro Line 1 will cover the East-West axis of the city and includes 14 stations, covering a distance of ​14 kilometers, seven of them underground, and the company responsible has until December 31, 2013 to complete the work. The consortium Line 1 signed a contract with the Panamanian government in November 2010 worth more than $1.446 billion dollars to carry out the construction of the first metro line in the capital. (Prensa)   

An elated President Ricardo Martinelli promised last week that the flagship work of his administration, the Panama Metro subway system, would be running by December 2013. But unforeseen events that have emerged, such as damage to the TBM Marta, now joined by the four day strike by the factory workers who build the tunnel segments located on the road to the Centennial Bridge, question whether the promise can be fulfilled by that date.

The Strike Continues - The 114 factory workers who make the segments, far from giving up their efforts to create pressure, have called on the Line 1 Consortium composed of the Spanish company FCC and the Brazilian company Odebrecht to comply with their list of demands. Moses Abrego, a spokesman for the strikers, said among their demands, in addition to the wage increase that had already been agreed in March, is the repair of the machinery used to fabricate the tunnel segments which has been working erratically, and returning to the old system of working in twelve hour shifts, rather than being paid based on production. In a press release the Line 1 Consortium has indicated they have fully complied with what they agreed with the workers and they maintain their readiness for dialogue. The segments are precast concrete which are coupled together to form the rings to secure the tunnel lining. (Mi Diario)

   

The workers of the "Line One" consortium, the company that is building the new Panama Metro subway system, have been on an indefinite strike since last Thursday to demand better working conditions and equal wages. On strike are about 300 employees who are working in the industrial area, located on the road to the Centennial Bridge, where the segments are made, beams and other elements for the construction of Metro Line 1 which runs from Albrook to Los Andes # 2 in San Miguelito.

Rodolfo Morales, who is part of the workers who yesterday completed their third day of the strike, reported to El Siglo that the salaries being paid by Norberto Odebrecht and Fomento de Construcciones, the companies that make up the Line One Consortium, do not satisfy the needs of the workers. Morales said all workers earn a salary according to productivity, measured in the amount of segments (rings to be installed in the underground section of Metro) that are manufactured per day. However, the machines are constantly damaged, so they do not meet the goal of producing 15 rings a day causing a reduction in pay. The striking workers demanded the company to establish 12-hour work days rather than the 8 hour shifts presently being used, as well as the incorporation of work on Sunday. According to Morales, an assistant is earning $ 600 a month, while a skilled worker is making $800.

INSECURITY - Besides the improvements to wages, the workers are demanding that the consortium implement security measures taking into account working with chemicals that affect their health. In this situation is Alberto Mejia, who manipulates microsilica, a chemical used to improve the strength and impermeability of concrete. Mejia said many of his colleagues have been affected by this compound.

The Line One consortium, in a statement issued last night, said they "have had on more than one occasion, conversations with workers from the camp located in the Centennial area [...] The consortium is respectful of the specific collective agreements with their partners and those commitments have been completely fulfilled ... '. (Siglo)

   

The workers strike at the Panama Ports Company ended yesterday with heavy losses to the country's maritime activity. Because of the strike in Panama, the largest container transshipment point of the continent, about 30,000 shipping containers stopped moving or were paralyzed at the Balboa and Cristobal ports. The railroad remained practically idle for one entire day, having nothing to ship from Panama to Colon. The fuel dispatchers were waiting for their customers, while shippers changed to dock at ports in Colombia, Mexico and Jamaica.

Manuel Navarro, one of the representatives of the PPC employees, said today they will continue to discuss eight of the nine-point list of demands. "An agreement was signed with representatives of the company for no retaliation," said Navarro, who works as a gantry crane operator at Cristobal. The workers agreed to resume work as of 8:00 pm yesterday.

PPC runs 22 of the 60 gantry cranes in the country and 3.2 million of the 6.6 million TEU (20-foot containers) reported in the system. The port workers are demanding higher wages and job security. Navarro explained that, for example, port verifiers are being hired at $ 2.54 per hour. Previously they received $3.25 per hour.

Negotiations will resume today at 2:00 pm. At the meeting there will be four representatives from the port workers, six from the company, and the Minister of Labor and Workforce Development, Alma Cortez. (Prensa)

Editor's Comment: In fact this was a "minority" strike - and completely illegal. The PPC company had recently signed a fresh collective bargaining agreement with the workers, and the company has been complying with that contract, in full. A small group of workers started a small protest action which spread to the rest of the workforce. Once the Labor Minister got involved, she simply explained that legally, the PPC company was right and the workers really didn't have a leg to stand on. So, they agreed to go back to work, and to continue to negotiate their demands.   

The Minister of Labor and Workforce Development, Alma Cortes, announced this afternoon they will install a tripartite commission, which will discuss the points raised by a group of employees from the Panama Ports Company who declared a strike. Cortes said the meeting will begin at 2:00 pm on the fifth floor of the Plaza Edison (Tumba Muerto), at the headquarters of the Mitradel. At that time three party talks will be formed to to deal with the claims and complaints of the port workers, said Cortes, who spoke with the protesters on Monday. She said that, however long this takes, the tripartite commission will discuss the points until everything gets resolved. Earlier, Cortes asked the PPC company to not retaliate against the workers who have been on strike since 6:00 pm last Thursday, 29 March 2012. The talks with the workers, who are demanding better wages, better working conditions and the allocation of additional hours, began at 10:55 am today. (Prensa)

   

Rommel Troetsch, of the Panama Ports Company, said on Monday that the paralyzation by workers of the ports of Balboa and Cristobal - the main ports in the region - is a "strike of threats." He expressed while speaking on the channel 13 Telemetro Reports morning news broadcast, when he said workers have vandalized facilities, damaged important equipment, and made ​​threats against other employees. He also reported the involvement of a group of former employees. In that sense, Troetsch said if the workers continue with this attitude, the Panama Ports Company will not go to a negotiating table.

Troetsch also said the work stoppage has caused multi million dollar losses for the railroad, the Colon Free Trade Zone, and the ports. The representative of the Panama Ports Company said so far there are four ships trapped in the ports, two Panamax, one post-Panamax ship, and smaller ship.

Workers have been protesting to demand a 30% pay increase, but Troetsch said the company has made the wage increases as established in the collective bargaining agreement the company signed with the union workers.

Today, Monday, 2 April 2012, negotiations should begin with the intervention of the Minister of Labor and Workforce Development, Alma Cortez. (Estrella)

   

A group of employees working for the Panama Ports Company declared a sit-down strike, demanding better working conditions and higher wages. Luis Decoteau, a spokesman of the workers, said the action began at 6:00 pm on Thursday, 29 March 2012. According to Decoteau, on that day there was a spill of diesel fuel oil in one of the ships that arrived at the port, so the workers asked those responsible on shift to have the fuel removed in order to avoid affecting their health. However, the company never did clean up the spill and ordered the workers in anyway, so they complained. Decoteau explained that because of this incident the employees began to feel discomfort in their eyes and chest.

In turn, the spokesman said they are demanding a 30% increase in their salaries, a figure that had previously been agreed upon, but was never implemented. Moreover, the leader denounced that this morning the protesters have been prevented from entering the port. He said, instead, they have called "new people" to work, and he said this should be investigated. "There are about 40 workers who they have not put to work today," he added. Decoteau said they are willing to continue to meet with managers of the company. For now, they are considering the possibility of convening a general assembly of workers to study the situation. (Prensa)

Editor's Comment: I got a call from someone early this morning. There were about 100 cars blocking the entrance to the Panama Port Company in Balboa, near the Banco Nacional. There were trucks lined up all along the roadway from the "spaghetti bowl" (at the end of the Albrook runway) past the McDonald's, down towards the port. Of course, the gate to the port is blocked and the trucks can't get in. There were dozens of guys wearing the orange coveralls used by the Panama Ports Company workers, protesting outside of the gate. And, my source knew about the oil spill issue as well. I've got great sources. Thanks again, bud...   

A criminal complaint against Security Minister Jose Raul Mulino and former director of the National Police, Gustavo Perez, was presented at about 10:00 am on Thursday 29 March, at the Attorney General's Office. This is the personal injury lawsuit by college student Argimiro Gonzalez, who was (according to him) was suppressed by the police during the recent protests of the indigenous Ngobe-Bugle in February in San Felix, during which he received multiple wounds such as the and tearing of skin, bruising of bones, and his right arm was broken in several places. Gonzalez went to the office of the Attorney General with his lawyer, Miguel Delgado, who added that the complaint was also filed against Marcos Cordova, the Chief of Police in Chiriqui. (Estrella)   

The suspension of a permit for the officials from the Trade Union of Workers in Construction and Related (SUNTRACS) to meet with workers on the job site, and a document indicating that the workers are owed a payment since last year, has prompted the workers to continue their strike, which started last Friday. According to the leader of this group, they have also delayed the signing of the collective bargaining agreement between labor and management. The strike began last Friday by about 500 workers in this area. (Telemetro)

Editor's Comment: SUNTRACS is still trying to get their mitts into the Panama Canal expansion project, one way or the other. So far, nothing has worked.