Stampede of Resignations At INS
The Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) endured a massive stampede yesterday, as some 200 INS employees resigned in a mass action, preferring to leave the institution early rather than lose benefits accumulated over the last almost 20 years of employment.

The massive resignation was a reaction of Tuesday's decision by the Sala Constitucional (Constitutional Court) where a number of benefits accumulated by the INS employees will be considered irrational. The court decision could eliminate tomorrow (Friday) benefits accumulated based on years of service and capped at eight years.

The employees preferred to quit immediately and fall into unemployment, claiming their benefits now, rather than lose the years. Most of those that walked off the job have worked with state insurance company for as many as 15 to 20 years.

Ana Isabel Romero was one employee that walked off the job after 30 years at the INS.

"There is an agreement what protects all our years of service, rights that are our and now are not being respected, and that is why we are stampeding out of here. In my department, the firefighters group, we are 18, tomorrow two more and five others who are on the list to leave as well", said Romero.

Many of the employees that left the institution feell that the Court decision is set up or orchestrated by the institution in the face of competition with the opening of the insurance market once the Tratado de Libre Comercio (TLC) - the trade agreement with the United States - comes in.

Guillermo Constenla, president of INS, said that the positions vacated yesterday will be filled with internal personnel and with the hiring of new staff. Constenla added that the number of resignations was 150, but did not discard that there will be more in the coming days and the unofficial number of 200 is not unrealistic.

"The INS has 2.500 employees and will function normally", said the head of the state institution.

The resignation will cost the INS ¢1.6 billion colones (us$31.3 million dollars) in payment to cover the resignations. Constenla said that the institutions had budgeted only us$10 million, but the institution has sufficient reserves to meet the obligations.

Constenla denied any relationship between the Court decision and the TLC.