Public unions promise “mega strike”; will do “whatever it takes” to avoid third PLN presidency

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February 6^th, 2014 (InsideCostaRica.com) A collection of public-sector labor unions are organizing a general strike for later this month after negotiations regarding annual salary increases between the government and the unions broke down.  Union leaders also say they will do “whatever it takes” to avoid a third National Liberation Party (PLN) presidency.

Unions are upset as some 200,000 public sector employees are set to receive a wage increase of just 0.453% for this year – or ¢453 per ¢100,000 of their salaries – which leaders say is “not even enough to buy toilet paper.”

Gliberto Cascante, president of the National Association of Educators (ANDE), said the decision to delay what union leaders are calling a “mega strike” until the end of the month was in part based on the start of the school year.

“We will not be irresponsible and go on strike at the start of the school year, so we will wait a few weeks in order to organize better,” he said.

Cascante added that the public sector unions would do “whatever it takes” to avoid a third National Liberation Party (PLN) president coming to power.

Union leaders said they would make an announcement on Friday with details of the strike.