Strikes in Costa Rica: Progress on the Bill

After listening to the observations made by Chamber IV, the deputies approved in first debate the law authorizing employers to suspend, from the first day of demonstration, the payment of wages to civil servants who go on strike.

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

On September 3, 2019, the bill had already been approved in first debate, however, at the time of submitting it to the consultation of Chamber IV, two defects of unconstitutionality were found, which were corrected.

See "Who's in Charge in Costa Rica?" and "Strike and Economic Slowdown"

The report basically removes two points objected by the judges, one of which is an addition of a final paragraph to article 350 of the Labor Code, which reads "In the event that the judicial authority convicts the legal representative of a trade union or any of the members of its governing body for actions carried out in the exercise of their duties, for the offences referred to in articles 128, 144, 229, 263, 263 bis, 264, 339 and 340 of the Criminal Code, as the author, instigator or accomplice, it shall send a copy thereof to the Minister of Labor," the Legislative Assembly reported.

The official statement added that "... Another of the points on which the Constitutional Chamber made the observation to suppress it, is paragraph 10 of the Reform to Article 376 of the Labor Code, which states, 'judicial services in labor matters, fundamental rights, family law, alimony, domestic violence, contraventions and flagrante delicto, the lifting, practice of autopsies and subsequent delivery of bodies, as well as forensic medical services involving urgent attention, including in all cases the auxiliary services necessary for their effective provision."

On the morning of January 14, it was confirmed that the project had passed its first discussion stage. Now the proposal must be approved in the second debate and then sent to President Carlos Alvarado for signature.

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