No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeA man a plan a canal panamaStrike halts work on Panama Canal expansion

Strike halts work on Panama Canal expansion

PANAMA CITY – Work to expand the Panama Canal — interrupted earlier this year for a dispute over cost overruns — halted Wednesday, this time for a strike by workers demanding higher wages.

“The project to enlarge the Panama Canal … is paralyzed,” said Saúl Méndez, secretary general of the construction-worker union Suntracs.

Work had halted for 15 days in February in a row over who would pay for an estimated $1.6 billion in cost overruns in the multi-billion-dollar project to build extra locks on the 80-kilometer (50-mile) waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

The project was already running late, and is now estimated to be up to a year behind schedule. It had originally been due to be completed next year.

Now the union is demanding wage increases of 20 percent, which the employers have said is excessive.

Grupo Unidos por el Canal (GUPC), the consortium running the expansion project, said that Suntracs workers “are heeding the call to strike,” which “is impacting the work schedule of this project.”

The canal, completed by U.S. interests in 1914 to create a shortcut and safer journey for maritime traffic, is used by 13,000 to 14,000 ships each year.

The expansion — one of the biggest civil engineering operations in the world — will add a third set of locks to the canal.

Trending Now

Costa Rica TSE Seeks to Lift President Chaves Immunity

Costa Rica's electoral tribunal has stepped up pressure on President Rodrigo Chaves by asking lawmakers to strip his immunity over claims of political interference...

Costa Rica Women’s National Team Coach Steps Down Amid World Cup Push

The Costa Rican Soccer Federation dropped a major update this week: Spanish coach Beni Rubido is stepping down from his role with the women's...

Juanes Lands in Costa Rica to Shoot Videos for New Tracks

Colombian singer Juanes has arrived in Costa Rica, turning our country's landscapes into backdrops for his latest music videos. The artist, known for hits...

New Poison Dart Frog Species Discovered in Peru’s Amazon

Peruvian researchers have identified a new poison dart frog in the Amazon rainforest, adding to the region's rich array of wildlife. The tiny creature,...

Back North from Costa Rica: An Expat’s Culture Shock

I am presently away from Costa Rica. I am in a foreign country. I was born here, but it is now a different place...

Costa Rica’s Nayara Springs Named Among World’s Best Hotels by MICHELIN

Nayara Springs, a secluded adults-only resort near Arenal Volcano National Park, has claimed the highest spot in the MICHELIN Guide's new hotel rankings. The...
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