Minister steps in to get Petequilla workers paid

AFTER OVER eight hours of road closures by workers at the troubled Petaquilla Gold mine, once adarling of the Martinelli administration , Labor Minister Luis Ernesto Carles, arrived at the site on Monday ordering a seizure of property, to ensure that over 600 workers would receive their pay.

Half of them had once again spent the day blocking the road leading to La Pintada.
They were demanding the payment of two fortnights in arrears and settlements
According to workers, the company owes them salaries of over $3 million for services rendered in salaries and settlements.
After the government intervention the company agree to a Wednesday deadline to pay what they owed.
Eric De Leon, a spokesman for the workers of the company Petaquilla Gold, said that for months they have faced the same situation of late payments and settlements with mutual agreements not met which was why they are forced to take to the streets to get their problems resolved.
According to the Minister, acting under the provisions of the law and to guard the rights of workers, an agreement between union representatives and the company was signed that on Wednesday October 29 the workers will be paid the first half and another fortnight’s pay on Friday the 31st. reports La Prensa.
Petaquilla Gold says it has ,despite setbacks and some delays payments have never ceased to take responsibility and it has always paid its employees, even with “the difficult situation they face.”