Banana crisis in Panama: Chiquita canceled 1,600 workers to strike!

Banana crisis in Panama: Chiquita canceled 1,600 workers to strike!

Bocas del Toro, Panama - chiquita, the US banana company, is faced with a massive wave of termination in Panama. On Monday, Panamaic Minister of Labor Jackeline Muñoz confirmed that the company is planning to dismiss all remaining 1,600 employees. This measure is a direct result of a strike that began on April 28 and lasted for a month. The protests are directed against a controversial pension reform, which was recently adopted by the Panamaic Congress and is heavily criticized by the unions.

The strike, which also included teachers and construction workers, leads to significant effects in the region. In particular, the province of Bocas del Toro, which is heavily dependent on tourism and banana cultivation, recorded road closures and goods bottlenecks. Chiquita reports of losses of at least $ 75 million (66 million euros) due to the work of work. The demands of the unions include the return to previous regulations for better pensions and health care, since many of the employees concerned do not have a fixed contract.

termination intentions and legal challenges

The dispute over the dismissals is tightened by a judgment of a labor court, which declared the strike of the Sitraibana union illegally on May 16. This opened the door for the layoffs, which could extend to almost 4,900 employees. Chiquita has also announced that many of these employees have already picked up severance payments in the company's offices in Bocas del Toro.

Eduardo Gil, a union representative of the Convergencia Sindical, describes the protests as justified and criticizes the government under President José Raúl Mulino because of the poor dialogue. The conflict between the government and the unions remains tense, with the unions demanding the lifting of the roadblocks as long as no draft law is passed to restore social benefits.

additional protest and economic uncertainties

The negotiations between a government commission and the Sitraibana union will be crucial for the possibility of a compromise. In the meantime, the economic situation in the region remains tense, and the effects of the strike on banana production are already noticeable, with a loss of around 450,000 banana boxes.

In the processed situation, it becomes clear that the interests of the workers and the economic pressure on companies in the region are in a tense balance. The outcome of the negotiations will make a significant decision as to whether there is a relaxation or a further escalation in this persistent conflict. href = "https://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/panama-chiquita-stalungen-100.html"> Tagesschau reports that ... taz reports that ...