A proposed amendment to the Labour Code of Costa Rica would allow for strikes with only 16% of total workers in companies whith no unions.
From a statement issued by the Union of Chambers and Associations of the private business sector (Uccaep):
UCCAEP rejects proposed amendment to the Labour Code
In regards to the new labor code reform initiative released on Monday by the parliamentary factions of the Citizen Action Party, Frente Amplio and the Social Christian Unity, UCCAEP :
Industrialists are asking for inclusion in the Labour Code a 12 hour work day, and in cases in where the law permits, annualized hours.
From a statement issued by the Chamber of Industries (ICRC):
July 2014. In the view of the ICRC establishing additional rules for working time in Costa Rican legislation represents an excellent option for generating higher quality employment opportunities, while at the same time allowing firms to improve their production levels.
Demands have been made for the U.S. Department of Labor to form an arbitration panel against the country over the lack of progress in labor matters.
From a press release by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO):
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the largest trade union center in the U.S., in conjunction with the largest unions of Guatemala as a gesture of appreciation over the lack of labor rights protection under the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA, for its acronym in English), today sent a letter to the U.S. Labor Department, the U.S. Trade Representative , and the ministers of labor and economy in Guatemala, in which they called for an arbitration panel to be reinstated. The "Implementation Plan" was signed by the two governments on April 26, 2013.
In consideration to an announcement made by the U.S. regarding the possibility of a labor lawsuit against the country, the Government is currently discussing reforms to the labor code.
The reforms to the Code and to the Law on Promotion of Export Activity and Textiles, seeks to empower the Ministry of Work to be able to impose sanctions and require companies to make a deposit in order to cover severance and other social benefits.
In response to the economic crisis the Government is proposing to make the work day more flexible in order to minimize layoffs.
According to nacion.com "the bill proposes creating new two work days: a 12 hour day with 3 free days per week and an annualized work day. This will allow for 10 hours when there is a lot of work and a maximum of six during the low season, and this way the workers will at no time get less than the minimum wage.
Technology and economic changes have transformed labor rules in Panama that are more than 30 years old.
The increase in inflation has raised the discussion of whether or not it is convenient to order a general salary increase.
Businessman Javier Rivera believes that the current climate is favorable for business owners and employees to sit down and talk about issues affecting them, such as the cost of living; however he also believes that the discussion should include the changes that have occurred in the labor market.