The Panama Government will Present a Reform to Law 45 for Banana Workers

Following the Cabinet Council meeting held Tuesday May 27 2024, the Government declared a state of emergency in Bocas del Toro. “The declaration of a state of emergency does not, under any circumstances, imply intervention in the opening of these blockades in the communities,” stated at a press conference at the Presidency of the Republic.

The Minister of Labor and Workforce Development, Jackeline Muñoz, pictured above, confirmed that the Executive Branch will present this week to the National Assembly the update to Law 45, which regulates pensions and retirement benefits for banana workers.  Asked about how this initiative would be included during the extraordinary sessions of the Assembly, Muñoz explained that the Executive branch will include it as an additional item on the legislative agenda. The minister also expressed her desire for workers to know “the truth about everything that happened at the meeting,” asserting that the union leadership rejected several viable offers, which has resulted in job losses.

Law 45 in Panama, officially titled “The Law that Dictates Rules on Consumer Protection and Defense of Competition,” is the country’s main legal framework for antitrust issues and consumer protection. It prohibits unfair and monopolistic trade practices, regulates consumer relationships, and specifies consumer rights. A key objective is to regulate the concentration of economic power and prevent practices like monopolies or price collusion. This law also established the Authority for Consumer Protection and Defense of Competition (ACODECO). 

Elaboration:

• Scope: Law 45 covers a wide range of consumer protection and antitrust matters. 
• Objectives: The law aims to protect consumers, ensure fair competition, and prevent monopolistic practices. 
• ACODECO: Law 45 created ACODECO, an independent entity responsible for enforcing consumer protection and competition regulations. 
• Consumer Rights: Article 35 of Law 45 outlines specific consumer rights, including the right to be protected from unsafe goods or services, receive accurate information about products and services, and have access to a variety of goods and services. 

Sitraibana’s Appeal Enters Decisive Phase as Chiquita Maintains Suspended Operations

Although the timing depends on when the file is transferred, everything indicates that the hearing could be held this week, according to sources consulted.  Following an appeal filed by the Banana Industry and Related Companies Workers Union (Sitraibana), seeking to overturn the court ruling that declared the strike that began on April 28 in Bocas del Toro illegal, the case now enters a new procedural phase. The second-instance ruling will be key in defining the outcome of the labor dispute affecting dozens of banana workers in the region and which has generated tensions between the union, the company, and the authorities.

‘Let’s not Repeat Puerto Armuelles’: CCIAP Urges Avoiding Economic Collapse in Changuinola

Both private and public transportation drivers have had to detour after finding the main roads in Changuinola blocked.  What’s happening in Changuinola “is not simply a case of ‘a refusal to reason,'” but something much more serious: the union is being used for political purposes, neglecting what’s truly important—the well-being of workers—and ignoring the law and the collective bargaining agreement itself.  The union emphasizes that, despite the strike being declared illegal, the workers decided to continue the stoppage, blocking roads and, in practice, “kidnapping an entire community.” The CCIAP warns that, beyond the legal framework, the human and economic consequences are already being felt.