No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsUnions and government start talks to end strike

Unions and government start talks to end strike

Representatives from the government and public-sector unions got together Wednesday in a preliminary meeting to seek an agreement to stop the general strike that has gripped the country since Sept. 10.

People who participated in the meeting clarified that this meeting was a first encounter to define the conditions that both parties could start negotiating to end the strike.

The archbishop of San José, José Rafael Quirós, said meeting’s goal was to establish first contact and for all parties to be able to listen to each other.

The organizations involved in the strike released a statement that said the meeting does not mean the strike against the proposed tax-reform bill would stop.

Protesters have blocked major highways around the country and impeded access to Costa Rica’s main commerce ports and fuel distribution sites.

Government officials who attended the meeting included the Minister of Labor, Steven Núñez; the Minister of Justice, Marcia González and the Minister of planning, Pilar Garrido.

“The church invited us to a first meeting without any conditions, the idea is to listen before moving on to a second phase, which would be negotiations,” Núñez said.

Nevertheless, the ministry insisted that the only way negotiations would take place is if the strike ends.

The proposed tax-reform bill that started the strike seeks to deal with the country’s growing deficit, which reached 6.2 percent of gross domestic product in 2017 and could reach 7.2 percent in 2018 without tax reform.

Trending Now

Rural Costa Rica Adopts Ecosystem-Based Approach to Climate Resilience

As climate change intensifies, rural communities across Costa Rica are taking concrete steps to reduce risks and adapt to increasing climate pressures. With support...

US and Panama Begin Joint Exercises to Protect Panama Canal

US forces teamed up with Panamanian police for fresh military drills focused on safeguarding the Panama Canal, starting amid ongoing debates about foreign influence...

US Visa Cost Increase for Travelers and Workers Under New Law

United States President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill into law on July 4, introducing a new surcharge for most non-immigrant US...

Costa Rica’s Olympic Hero Claudia Poll Alleges Abuse by Famed Swim Coach

Claudia Poll, Costa Rica's only Olympic gold medalist, and two other former swimmers from the country, alleged on Monday that they suffered psychological, physical,...

Exiled NGO Slams Bukele’s Rule as Repeat of Authoritarian Past

Salvadorans deserve “something better” than living between “gangs or dictatorship,” said Noah Bullock, director of the influential NGO Cristosal, in an interview. On Thursday,...

Costa Rica’s Tourism Faces Decline Amid Rising Crime and Costs

Costa Rica’s flagship tourism industry, long a cornerstone of our nation’s economy, is dealing with a noticeable downturn in 2025 as rising crime, health...
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