Health Minister Fernando Llorca Castro will replace Sáenz starting Thursday and Vice Minister MarÃa Esther AnchÃa will temporarily work as Health Minister.
Union leaders demanded that President Luis Guillermo SolÃs ensure the immediate dismissal of Caja Executive President MarÃa del RocÃo Sáenz Madrigal.
Caja Pension Manager Jaime Barrantes said they will evaluate the unions' petition along with others that they have received from other groups in recent days.
Union leaders hope to block vehicle traffic along the capital’s Second Avenue, in front of the Caja’s main building, to get the institution's attention.
May Day in Costa Rica brought together protesters from public workers unions and a wide variety of other groups, including students, sex workers and indigenous people.
Costa Rica's President Luis Guillermo SolÃs on Wednesday denied that he or anyone else from his administration had previously reached an agreement with public unions over a national strike held last Monday.
The call for a nationwide strike by public workers’ unions on Monday had only moderate support. But it did lead to the cancellation of at least 86 surgeries at three hospitals.
