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Port workers threatening strike after court decision on Moín mega-terminal

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(ICR archive)

(ICR archive)

October 15th, 2014 (InsideCostaRica.com) The Union of Allied Port Workers (Sintrajap) is threatening a strike after Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court dismissed an appeal last week against the new Moín Container Terminal filed by the union against the concession holder for the project, APM Terminals.

 

Sintrajap had claimed in its appeal that a particular clause in the concession would create an “illegal monopoly” giving APM Terminals the exclusive right to load and unload containers arriving in Limon.  The appeal was the last legal alternative available to Sintrajap in its attempts to stop the project.

 

Carlos Brenes, an attorney representing the union, told reporters that the union would not back down, adding that in Limón’s history, “only strikes solve problems.”

 

APM Terminals obtained the concession to build and operate the port in 2011 and was due to begin construction last year, but the project has faced several legal challenges.

 

The initial concession is for 33 years, with an initial investment of at least $1 billion and the creation of some 400 jobs.

 

The new facilities would be able to accommodate modern “Panamax” class container vessels of up to 13,500 containers, some five times larger than those that can be serviced in the country presently.

 

The project has the support of President Luis Guillermo Solís, who welcomed last week’s decision by the Constitutional Court.

 

Sintrajap representatives said final decisions regarding if, or when a strike might occur would be made in the coming days.

 

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  • Frank Castle

    Look, instead of striking and just creating more problems, make sure the facility is following all other rules and regulations related to the workplace. This union is not looking at the big picture. Nicaragua is getting ready to build a canal just to the north. Don’t you think the the Nica government will be wanting to build a expanded port on the Caribbean Coast or shipping companies could just drop cargo near the Pacific side bypassing Moin if this union mucks this up. Just sayin”

    • Larry Worsham

      When the canal is complete they might not need the port at all. I’m uncertain of the draft that will be available though for the larger ships that can port at Moín. What I’m laughing about is that they are considering striking because 400 jobs would be created.

    • toolman78

      The Nicaraguan project has ports at each end of the canal planned. Moin’s port already has a terrible reputation, as soon as there’s another option ships will avoid Moin if at all possible. Let them strike, a few more years and they can cry about having to work in the banana fields.

  • MJ

    All unions around the world should be abolished.

    • Frank Castle

      Private unions are fine in my book. Only public unions are ridiculous since the electorate should have the final say on what government workers get paid through their own representatives.

    • Randy Roden

      I ,now, don’t know what the pay scale is is C.R. But if ,as you want, Unions are abolished then all you have is A bunch of Tyrants running the country. In the U.S. years ago, before Unions, Children were used as workingpeople. There was many children walking around with missing limbs , etc. The pay scale was less than 25cents per hour. There was no healthcare at all for them. When they got hurt , on the job, no one but their family cared. Instead of hiring MEN to do the jobs, the BIG Business owners hired more CHILDREN. There was so many families doing without FOOD, Warm Clothing, and the things that make life , at least bearable, that it was scary. Would you like to see Yourself along with your Family and Friends in this same 5th century time? Believe me, that is what will happen. The Big Money people will see to that. Just a BIT of food for thought.

  • Ken Morris

    In general I’m pro-union (and believe the pineapple workers desperately need one) but Sintrajap has long struck me as a union that needs to be busted. It’s been out of control for a long time, working against the country’s interests, as well as therefore indirectly its own. Unions are important as a countvailing force against management, but unions can become too powerful too. I’d like to see that union busted (as well as a few public employees’ unions in CR too, frankly) and start over.

    • Frank Castle

      Ken, good analysis! I’m sure the jobs created at this port will be pretty reasonable by Costa Rican standards and, as I pointed out before, competition is brewing just to the north. Sintrajap needs to think long term not short term.

  • scottm

    So typical, can’t see the forest because of the trees. Lets see, a new modern port facility that will employ 400 people. yeah lets strike against this, bad idea. Unions are outdated and have been replaced by labor laws, time for them to go all together, especially in CR.

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