Panama President Mulino set a Deadline for an Agreement with Banana Growers in Bocas del Toro
President José Raúl Mulino issued an ultimatum amid negotiations between the government and the Banana Industry Workers Union (Sitraibana), led by Francisco Smith in Bocas del Toro. The clock was ticking in Changuinola: Mulino set 1:30 pm Thursday May 22nd as the deadline for an agreement with banana growers. According to Mulino, the union’s refusal to sign an agreement with the banana company would lead to mass layoffs in the coming days. It appears that things did not work out well for Bocas del Toro. The story below:
Chiquita Panama’s Offices are Closed
Chiquita Panama begins mass layoffs of 5,000 workers; severance pay will be issued this Friday. It is understood that the company will initiate a series of audits to assess the current state of the plantations, calculate the total amount of losses, and determine how long it would take to resume production. This will determine its continued presence in the country. More than 7,000 jobs will be lost in Bocas del Toro and approximately $75 million in losses for the company. Chiquita Panama and Ilara Holding announced on Thursday afternoon May 22 that, “regretfully,” following the unjustified abandonment of work on their banana farms in Changuinola since April 28, they have proceeded with the termination of all daily workers. In a statement, they indicated that workers in this situation must report to the Empalme Office starting Friday May 23 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to withdraw their corresponding severance pay.
The Cry for Help from Guabito above: ‘We need to Move Forward. We’re trapped.’
Commercial activity in Guabito is virtually paralyzed. This border town, with a population of over 10,000, plays a key role in the connection between Panama and Costa Rica. Rain falls intermittently over Guabito, in the Changuinola district, as if accompanying the town’s somber mood. The drops patter on the zinc roofs, while the shops look deserted and the streets, once bustling with tourists and merchants, have become silent. The crisis has set in here since the blockades began in Bocas del Toro by banana workers. “Up to 40 trucks carrying bananas, lumber, and other goods used to cross here every day,” says an official overseeing the bridge over the Sixaola River on the Panamanian side. “Now no one crosses. Not a single tourist, not a single container. We’re trapped by this situation,” he laments, as the river’s powerful current can be heard in the background.
View Above of the City of Changuinola, Bocas del Toro Surrounded by Banana Plantations
The government commission and the Banana Industry Workers’ Union (Sitraibana) reached a partial agreement on the reform of Law 45, which regulates the pension and retirement system for the banana sector. Francisco Smith, secretary general of Sitraibana, explained that although they signed the document presented by the Executive Branch, the workers will maintain their strike until the agreement becomes law.
