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.
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 29 ports on the west coast are once again operating normally, after an agreement between the union dockworkers and the Pacific Maritime Association was signed.
"... Port officials have said it will take six to eight weeks to clear the row of containers waiting to be loaded onto ships at the piers and several months for cargo traffic to get back to its normal rhythm.
Central American exporters are being recommended to keep using alternate routes during the union conflict which is causing ports to operate erratically.
From a statement issued by the Guatemalan Exporters Association (AGEXPOT):
The 29 main ports for goods moving from the West Coast of the United States, including Los Angeles and Long Beach, the main US ports, have been operating erratically since August 2014 due to a conflict which has been going on for months between the International Longshoremen and Warehouse Union from the West Coast (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA).
The HKND dealership has announced that it requires 50,000 domestic workers for the project and that the more specialized positions will be filled by Chinese professionals.
In a presentation on the project to the representatives of trade unions in the country, the Chinese company HKND noted that "... part of the proposals ... are structuring a work plan between the construction sector, universities and technical training institutes.
The "negotiators" for the Government of Costa Rica have suggested "as a starting point" a proposal to increase the salaries of state workers which was met with "satisfaction" by the public employee unions.
EDITORIAL
Imagine you are responsible to the shareholders of a company that is in a very bad financial position, with costs consistently rising above income, meaning that the losses continually mount up and threaten the stability of the corporation.
Unions and employers are negotiating an adjustment in salaries and a revision in the prices of the different types of jobs performed by workers.
Businesses are demanding adjustments are accompanied by higher labor productivity and are concerned about the growing number of construction companies that are moving into informality, however, they are confident that the agreements will be made as expeditiously as in the past three.
The Ministry of Labor will define the wage adjustment in the absence of an agreement between the private sector and trade unions.
In the last meeting on 13 March the parties were not able to reach an agreement. The private company proposed an increase of 9%, while unions demanded an adjustment of between 10% and 14%.
Freddy Blandon, representative of the Superior Council of Private Enterprise, Cosep noted that "...
As unemployment rises and poverty increases, the Costa Rican Minister of Finance has declared "urgent" the payment of bonuses to central government officials.
EDITORIAL OPINION
If you are an official in the central government of Costa Rica, your bonus this December will average 15.6% higher than 2010. But if you are poor, and most likely also unemployed, the only thing that will increase is the number of your neighbors in the same situation.
A labor dispute is brewing over plans by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (MTI) to fire four union leaders, sources in the labor movement said.
The four, all members of the board of the Democratic Federation of Public Service Workers, have been summoned by police who are investigating allegations of damage to state property.