No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveAngry San José health care workers find unlikely ally in Caribbean dock...

Angry San José health care workers find unlikely ally in Caribbean dock workers

Members of the Atlantic Port Authority Workers’ Union (Sintrajap) on Wednesday closed both Moín and Limón docks, the two Costa Rican ports on the Caribbean coast.

The closure is an act of solidarity with angry health care workers from San José, according to union leader Carlos Brenes. We’re not exactly sure of the link between the dock union and health care workers, but both of these groups of public sector employees tend to use economic disruption tactics to get what they want. In this case, the health care workers don’t want to be privatized.  

After a contract with the state University of Costa Rica (UCR) expired, the Social Security System, or Caja, turned over the administration of the 45 clinics to the Iberoamerican University (UNIBE) a private college. Now clinic workers fear losing their jobs.

They have been staging strikes and public demonstrations to oppose Caja’s decision since last week. On Tuesday, Marjorie Azofeifa, an EBAIS worker, started a hunger strike in a tent outside UCR’s administrative offices.

“We are against the EBAIS privatization […] We do not want any more concessions in the public sector, and also we are asking the government to improve docks infrastructure,” SINTRAJAP spokesman José Luis Castillo told the media in Limón.

Caja and UNIBE already signed the new administration contract, and university officials said they will hire most of the current workers. However, all clinics are now closed and patients have been forced to seek treatment at other public hospitals and clinics in the capital.

On Wednesday morning, two ships were waiting to dock in Moín and unload cargo, while a row of at least 30 trucks idled outside the Limón dock, unable to deliver products for export.

Last Nov. 11, another dock workers’ strike prevented the docking of a cruise ship to Limón, leading to losses of ₡48 million ($96,000), according to the Atlantic Port Authority. Near 80 percent of Costa Rica’s exports are shipped through Limón docks.

Trending Now

Venezuela Arrests Suspects in Alleged CIA Cell Plotting Attack

Venezuela claimed Monday to have dismantled a CIA-financed cell plotting a false-flag attack on a US warship deployed to the southern Caribbean, as Washington...

Tamarindo Halloween Fest Boosts Local Economy

The coastal town of Tamarindo will host its fourth Halloween Fest from October 29 to November 1, drawing families, athletes, artists, and local business...

U.S. Strikes Drug Boat in Pacific Near Colombia, Killing Two

The United States military carried out its first strike in the Pacific Ocean against a boat suspected of drug trafficking, killing two people near...

Costa Rica National Parks Face Threats from Tourism and Budget Cuts

Costa Rica's national parks and protected areas face growing threats from budget shortfalls, surging visitor numbers, and climate shifts, according to a recent report...

Costa Rica Bans Tattoos and Makeup in Schools

The Ministry of Public Education (MEP) has rolled out new guidelines that will reshape how students present themselves in public schools across Costa Rica...

Costa Rica Residency Backlog Hits 38,000 in October

Immigrants in Costa Rica continue to deal with long waits for their residence cards, known as DIMEX, as the immigration system struggles with backlogs....
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica