Japdeva Union Is Damaging Costa Rica As "Tortuguismo" Continues; Police Move In To Restore Order
Emphatic were the words of president Oscar Arias is saying that the leaders of the Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Junta de Administración Portuaria y de Desarrollo Económico de la Vertiente Atlántica (Sintrajap) are causing great damage to Costa Rica with its "tortuguismo" - work slowdown at the Limón and Moín ports, which began on Monday.

The union is attempting to pressure the government in not privatizing the Caribbean ports as it did the Pacific port of Caldera and demanding payment of ¢470 million colones in benefits to the workers as part of a collective agreement.

The government announced earlier this week that it had found the money to pay the workers, finding the funds in a Japdeva surplus fund and that all workers would receive their benefits.

However, that did end the work slowdown, as dock workers began a "work to rule" campaign that quickly escalated to a slowdown and huge losses for exporters, especially banana exporters whose trucks have been lining up at the docks for more than 16 hours to unload.

"The government has stretched itself to find the money to comply with its obligations inherited from the Pacheco administration for the union workers of the Japdeva. However, now they (the union leaders) say that that is not enough and want me to tell them that I have no interest in privatizing the Caribbean ports.

How can I accept tis, if I campaigned in the province of Limón telling voters that as president I would privatize and modernize the docks, as well as privatize the Limón airport, because the government doesn't have the money to make the investment necessary", said president Arias.

The president showed his annoyance at the union leaders as the workers are now unloading 2 containers per hour when normal operations are at 60, meaning great financial losses for both exporters and importers.

"I can categorically say that the unions leaders of Japdeva are causing serious damage to Costa Rica. One has to ask if the Limonenses (residents of Limón) want to develop their province and if the leaders want to do the same or continue with the poverty that the area has lived for centuries. We have to find solutions", said Arias.

The president added that "Limón will never move forward if it doesn't have a modern port, nor of its poverty if there is no sources of employment, but the private sector will not be the great employer like Japdeva. At Japdeva they give employment to thousands of people, I imagine it takes three Japdeva workers to handle one broom."

For the president, the solution is to privatize the docks that will bring in foreign investment and more sources of employment for the area. The province is underdeveloped as far as tourism, Arias saying that "the Atlantic is still in the middle ages when it comes to investment in tourism."

Ronald Blear, president of the Sintrajap, said that with respect to the position of president Arias, they are not doing the damage that the government will do to Limón and the 1.142 workers and their families if the privatize the docks without justifications.

Blear added that is has been for some time that his union has been trying to convince the government to increase Japdevas annual investment in the port, which is now at a ridiculously low level.

Early this morning, some 150 officials of the Unidad Intervencion Policial (UIP) of the Fuerza Pública moved in to restore order at the docks.

Early reports say that the police have restored order. However, the workers are continuing their slowdown and union leaders vow to continue their action.

The police intervention is prevent the workers from completely choke off access to and from the port.