Construction workers return to streets

After a week with little visible sign of a strike that has paralyzed 260 building projects, construction workers returned to the streets of Panama City on Tuesday, April 24.

Members of the 90.000 strong  Suntracs union closed two of the four lanes of the Via Centenario, in front of the Ciudad Salud, on Tuesday, April 24.

The workers,  who have been on strike since April 18, began to march towards the city with banners and flags which caused major traffic congestion mainly affecting are the drivers heading to the city from Panama West.

Meanwhile, in various parts of the capital, workers handed out flyers, explaining their position in wage negotiations with the construction employers’ association (Capac).

Negotiators are huddled in a Panama hotel continuing talks that started over six months ago to hammer out an agreement covering the next four years.

Employers claim that the industry is retracting after a boom period, while the union claims the latest wage offer is a pittance.