The initiative prohibits strikes in essential public services such as health, safety, school lunchrooms, and water and energy supply. It also puts limits on work stoppages in education.
Hundreds of public employees from Costa Rican schools, universities and hospitals on Friday morning marched from downtown San José to Casa Presidencial, in the southeast district of Zapote, to oppose government-proposed salary measures.
Legislators from the ruling Citizen Action Party, Broad Front Party and Social Christian Unity Party last week presented a bill at the Legislative Assembly to reform the country’s Labor Law, including a proposal that would eliminate a ban on strikes by some public workers, approved by the previous administration.
An Education Ministry report released on Tuesday morning indicates that of 3,751 public schools in Costa Rica, only 613 were functioning normally on Monday, while 1,394 were partially operational and 1,744 remained closed.
