The Single Union of Construction and Similar Workers (Suntracs) has warned that if they do not reach an agreement in the Collective Agreement with the Panamanian Chamber of Construction (Capac) to increase the workers’ wages by $0.70, they will go on a national strike this April 4, 2022.
The general secretary of Suntracs, Saúl Méndez, indicated this Wednesday on Radio Panama that this conflict should have ended in February, “however, this legal arbitrariness by the Government prolonged this conflict until last March 8.”
He recalled that on September 10, 2021, when Suntracs turned 49, it presented the Capac businessmen with the collective agreement project, and from there, in a month they analyzed the proposal and sat down to negotiate.
Méndez revealed that there are five clauses to be debated and resolved: two for salary, one for contracting workers on site and two for rigor (when does the agreement take effect and how long does it take).
He asserted that at this time, they are within the legal term established by the Labor Code of 20 days for the union to declare a strike if there is no agreement. “The important thing here is not the strike, it is the collective agreement and reaching an agreement,” said the leader.
