Construction workers union and employers in permanent session as strike looms

Representatives of the Panamanian Chamber of Construction (Capac) and the Single Union of Construction and Similar Workers (Suntracs) are in negotiations, as they have not reached an agreement on salary for the collective agreement for 2022-2025.

Meetings have been scheduled for both Saturday and tomorrow, Sunday reports La Prensa.

Similarly, it is expected that a delegation from Capac will hold a meeting with President  Laurentino Cortizo, in the Presidency.

This week, Capac reported that it recommended to the companies that belong to this organization that they guide the workers so that they do not join the strike called by Suntracs for April 4,

Worst moments
 Capac gave 10 reasons for rejecting the protest measure, among which is the fact that “the current state of the economy and the construction industry is going through one of its worst moments in history, due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The organization stated that the strike decreed by Suntracs undermines the confidence of investors and developers, in addition to limiting the possibility of undertaking new projects.

“In the current conditions of the industry, it is more important to preserve existing jobs and not propose exaggerated increases for non-existent jobs,” was part of Capac’s considerations.

Suntracs, for its part, has reiterated that, if an agreement is not reached between the parties, they will go on strike starting Monday The leadership, which carried out a warning strike on Friday, points out that it advocates “dignified” salary adjustments to face the high cost of living in the country.

Its leaders estimate that about 20,000 workers would the strike.