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COSTA RICA |
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Police Break Strike Action In Port of Limón
With the support of the police, authorities
of the Junta de Administración Portuaria y
de Desarrollo Económico de la Vertiente
Atlántica (Japdeva), finally were able to
resume port operations at Moín after
dockworkers paralyzed dock operations in
Costa Rica's Caribbean port of Limón.
The strike action also prevented the docking
of a 1.900 passenger cruise ship, in
addition to cargoes of fruit standing by in
containers and shippers concerned about
their goods reaching the North American
market.
The strike also affected may of the
independent workers of the area, all who
depend on the Limón docks operating.
The cruiseliner only docked for a few
minutes to left off a passenger who had
suffered a heart attack, taking him to the
Limón's Tony Facio hospital before being
transferred to a San José hospital.
The work stoppage is expected to continue
today, when police action is expected again
to open the ports. Francisco Jiménez,
Japdeva president, says the situation will
continue to be difficult until the union
decides to call off the work stoppage.
the ministro de la Presidencia, Rodrigo
Arias, said yesterday that just the loss of
the cruiseliner cost the local economy some
¢110 million colones, the amount estimated
that tourists would spend in the area on
taxis, food, crafts and other purchases.
Arias added that some million more are lost
when the docks are still.
The strike comes at the worst of times, a
time when the Costa Rican government is
courting private investment for the area in
the tune of us$900 million dollars from
private investors to modernize the port and
boost tourism to the area.
The problems between the dockworkers and the
Arias government has been ongoing for years
and the government has been unable to keep
the problem out of the headlines.
The dockworkers say they want more money in
the form of higher wages.
In Tuesday's action they blocked three
outgoing ships from leaving the port of Moín
and two from leaving the port of Limón.
Incoming ships were standing by waiting for
a break in the strike to dock.
The Japdeva union says the work action is
not sanctioned by them, saying that the
action is by a small group of workers, about
50 of the 1.400 dockworkers, taking the
unjustified and irresponsible action.
The Cámara de Productores y Exportadores de
Piña (Canapep) - pineapple growers and
exporters - say that a prolonged strike
action could negatively affect pineapple
exports, where up to 2.3 million cases can
be lost in a single week.
For his part, Costa Rican president, Oscar
Arias, urged Japdeva to find the finances to
get the port working again. |
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