Unions To Paralyze Public Services
Circle October 23 and 24 on your calendar, as these days will one of protest and the unions promise to paralyze the country, as most of the public services will be cut on those days.

The protest is in being orgaized by union leaders who are asking their memberships to take to the streets in protest of the Tratado de Libre Comercio (TLC) - free trade agreement with the united States.

Union organizers say that public institutions like the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) and teachers will be out on the streets on those two days. Schools will be closed as teachers confirmed their participation in the protest against the TLC.

Ricardo Segura, head of the del Frente Interno de Trabajadores del ICE - the state telecommunications workers union - said that ICE employees will be out protesting but believes that telephone and electrical service will be affected.

The idea of the two day protest is to pressure legislators to throw out the trade agreement which is expected to go before them for a vote. "There is a great political discomfort for this 'neo-liberal' government because we cannot tolerate the high cost of living and the TLC will make matters worse", said Segura.

For his part, Luis Chavarría, secretary general of the Unión Nacional de Empleados de la Caja - CCSS workers union - said that "those who have appointments at hospitals and clinics on those days should change them, as the Caja workers will be out to protest so that Costa Ricans don't lose the health guarantees provided by the Seguro Social".

Édgar Morales, secreaty general of thea Asociación Nacional de Empleados Públicos y Privados, added that the protest will not affect emergency medical attention at hospital and other vital public services.

The union leaders could not yet confirm the the number of protestors that will be out on the two days and the route the protest will take.