Panama Government Makes Changes to Banana Growers Law – Conditional on the Stoppage of Strikes in Bocas
President José Raúl Mulino announced this Thursday May 29 that the amendment to Law 45 which regulates social security for banana workers, will be submitted to the National Assembly as soon as the strikes in the province of Bocas del Toro are permanently lifted and the closed roads in the province of Bocas del Toro are opened. Mulino’s statement comes amid the socioeconomic crisis in Bocas del Toro, which led the government to declare a state of emergency. Executive Decree No. 49 establishes the creation of a high-level commission to address the situation generated by the road closures and the strike called by the Banana Industry Workers Union (Sitraibana). A commission of ministers is expected to arrive in Bocas this Friday May 30.
Union Announces Partial Opening of Roads in Bocas del Toro
The groups that have kept the streets of Bocas del Toro closed for nearly three weeks have decided to voluntarily and partially open the blockades at about 30 locations. Members of the Banana, Agricultural, and Related Business Workers’ Union (Sitraibana) reopened some roads in the province of Bocas del Toro on Wednesday morning. The second road opening took place between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, according to leader Francisco Smith. The union’s actions come after the government announced a state of emergency in the province in response to the strike declared by Sitraibana, which seeks to implement amendments to Law No. 45 of 2017 to improve workers’ occupational health conditions. Although the government acknowledged that the union’s demands were “legitimate” and pledged to present the amendments to the National Assembly, this failed to materialize because the agreement with the union requires the strike to be lifted before the amendments can be presented.
Sitraibana claims they will not end their protests until they meet with the banana company Chiquita Panama. Wednesday marked one month of the banana strike, which, according to the company, generated $75 million in “irreparable” losses and the decision to lay off 4,500 employees, who remain on strike to this day. According to Smith, to date, only about 20 workers have come to collect their severance pay because the rest remain “calm” and are waiting for everything to be resolved favorably.
State of Emergency
According to the Minister of the Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac, the state of emergency is intended to allow the National Government to support communities “that are suffering from the illegal strike.” “I want to clarify that this refers specifically to the ongoing issue in the province regarding the illegal strike by workers with the Chiquita Panama Company and the Banana Industry Workers Union (Sitraibana),” Orillac explained.
