After the approval in second legislative debate of the law authorizing employers to suspend, from the first day of demonstration, the payment of wages to public servants who go on strike, the file will go to the President, Carlos Alvarado.
The Plenary Session of the Legislative Assembly approved, with 35 deputies in favor and 13 against, in its second and final debate, Bill 21,049, which will regulate strikes by establishing new rules so that workers can exercise this right, the Legislative Assembly reported.
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.
In Costa Rica, the Congress approved in first debate a bill that authorizes employers to suspend, from the first day of demonstration, the payment of wages to public sector workers who are on strike.
The Legislative Assembly voted in the first debate on file 21049, a law to provide legal security about the strike and its procedures, which seeks to eliminate the exaggerated privileges that employees of state entities have when they decree and execute a strike in the public sector, the Legislative Assembly informed on Tuesday, September 3.
The power of public employees' guilds in the country was evidenced by the agreement that authorities of the Social Security Fund agreed to sign in order that employees of the entity may continue to enjoy privileges to the detriment of others.
EDITORIAL
Arguing that "judicializing" the strike was the only and best way out that could be achieved in the short term, the highest authorities of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) complied with the pressures of trade guild members, who with the desire to maintain the differential treatment they have enjoyed for many years, suspended access to basic health services, even carrying out actions as despicable as closing a blood bank and paralyzing equipment for cancer treatment.
The deterioration of public finances and the inability of the Alvarado administration to end the blockades set up by trade unionists are again drawing the attention of rating agencies and the international market, who foresee a complicated economic future for Costa Rica.
According to the risk rating agency Moody's, the demonstrations by public sector unions are increasingly complicating the path towards a much-needed reform of public finances, which would take its first steps with the approval of the bill that is being discussed in the Legislative Assembly.
After nine days of strikes by public officials in Costa Rica, tour operators, hotels and restaurants in different parts of the country are reporting that reservations are being cancelled and sales are plummeting.
The strike being promoted by the country's public unions started on Monday, September 6, and has already caused millions of dollars worth of losses due to multiple road blocks and acts of sabotage in the fuel distribution chain, among other coercive measures.
Following a week of strikes by public unions in Costa Rica, the private sector is demanding that authorities act faster and prevent public roads from being blockaded.
In the face of the strike led by public unions in the country, which has now been ongoing for more than seven days, the Costa Rican Union of Chambers and Associations of the Private Business Sector (UCCAEP) is demanding that the government act quickly and avoid further blockades on public roads.
Millions of dollars in losses to the business sector, fuel shortages and roadblocks are some of the consequences of the strike by public officials in the country.
Since the unions of public institutions started the strike on Monday, September 6, the situation has been getting worse, with no sign of an end any time soon.
The more financially educated people are, more rational their economic and political decisions are, creating greater economic development and better quality of life in society.
EDITORIAL
This fact is clearly indicated by the results of a comprehensive study by McGraw Hill Financial on financial literacy, which is defined as the ability to understand how the money in the world works, what to do to earn it, and how it is administered.
A ship's captain is the person legitimately appointed to rule the ship, and must not relinquish power to rebellious sailors who want to set a course that serves their own interests and not the rest of the passengers.
EDITORIAL
In Costa Rica the crucial debate today is the weight in the country´s economy and productivity, of a minority of state officials who enjoy privileged salaries and working conditions, notably different to other workers, both in the public and private sector.
Less than 24 hours after it started union leaders signed an agreement with the Solis administration to end the strike that had paralyzed ports and the sale of fuels.
The strike called by major unions in the country lasted less than 24 hours and did not achieved the "historic" call aimed for by the organizers, who negotiated an end to the strike with the government around midnight on October 26.
A state company with high impact on the conditions that determine the economic development of the country, has agreed to intervention on the part of union workers in its institutional management in telecommunications and electricity.
EDITORIAL
How is it possible to reconcile the different and often conflicting interests between managing a state monopoly and a union, without affecting the higher interests of Costa Rican citizens?
The private companies should have to consider the risk posed to Costa Rica's business climate by the excesses of state union leaders.
EDITORIAL
Costa Rica's democratic traditions pale before the attempt made by a trade unionist to silence the media by threatening the safety of journalists.
An article in Crhoy.com quote statements made by the union member Fabio Chaves regarding the news in Costa Rican media revealing information about unacceptable privileges enjoyed by many officials, acquired against article 57 of the Constitution itself: "Wages will always be equal for equal work under identical conditions of efficiency."
The Supreme Court has ruled to leave in place the veto of the Law known as the Labor Procedure Reform, which allowed strikes to be called on essential services such as ports, hospitals and public transportation.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Union of Chambers and Associations in the Private Business Sector (UCCAEP):
- Business Sector considers it to be a benefit to all Costa Ricans
Despite its development in advanced countries, including the more established social democracies, dual education is fundamentally opposed by those who will always be threatened by any changes.
EDITORIAL
As with education unions throughout Latin America, where there is an imperative need for radical changes in education systems which are increasingly lagging behind the rest of the world, in Costa Rica the corporation of education workers is radically opposed to any changes, even those that have proven successful in countries with political systems focused on social welfare such as the European social democracies, as is dual education.