Canal workers strike to continue

STRIKING workers of the Panama Canal expansion  project have announced the continuation of the strike that they launched earlier in the week.

It is a second Christmas week blow to the Canal Authority (ACP) after being hit with a demand for massive cost overruns by GUPC, the construction conglomerate already way behind schedule.
The strike news was announced at a Saturday, December 27, press conference by members of the National Union of Construction and Associated Workers
It represents 1,000 workers at the Pacific Access Project.
Spokesmen for the union said that they have been barred entry to the project.

The works are conducted by the consortium of Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas, SA (FCC), with 43%; Civil Engineers Associates, Inc. de C.V. (ICA), with 43% and Meco, SA (MECO), with 14%.
Last week the leader of Untraics, Abelardo Herrera said it has also called for the dismissal of some foreign foremen, who have exceeded their functions The strike occurred in the fourth phase of the dry excavation of enlargement, located in the Pacific sector of the waterway.
Samuel Rivera Secretary General of the Ministry of Labor, said that the institution is continuing to mediate between the parties reports  La Prensa.              

“Mitradel has been mediating from the outset and invites the parties to continue the dialogue. The 5000 workers in the other works are laboring normally,” he said.