Members of the Single National Union of Construction and Similar Workers (Suntracs) responded this Friday, to the call, at the national level, for a warning stoppage, from 7:00 to 8:00 in the morning.
Workers in different areas of the capital and interior city protested to demand decent wages in the midst of a negotiation with the Panamanian Chamber of Construction (Capac) to achieve the signing of a new collective agreement 2022-2025, which includes an adjustment wage.
The economic issue keeps the negotiation between the parties locked.
“Since September of last year they have been negotiating on the collective agreement. “The employers have to make serious proposals,” said Saúl Méndez, general secretary of Suntracs.
He asked the workers unionized at Suntracs to be prepared for the call to strike starting next Monday, April 4, if the businessmen do not make serious proposals to end the conflict.
Proposals submitted
Suntracs maintains that Capac initially offered zero increase in the first two years, one and two cents for 2024 and 2025. Capac’s latest proposal was presented on February 22 and establishes $0.01 cent for 2022, $0.02 cents for 2023 , $0.02 cents for 2024, and $0.02 cents for 2025. This equals $0.07 cents. Suntracs insists on a better proposal.