(Newsroom Panama) Over 3000 striking employees working on the Panama canal expansion demonstrated on Tuesday, January 17. It was the second day of a work stoppage.
They are demanding the payment of overtime wages and a wage increase from the GUPC (United Group for the Canal) consortium. The protesters were into the second day of work stoppage and threatened to remain off the job until their demands are met. The sit-down strike began Monday at the Colon site of the construction of the third set of locks on the waterway. The GUPC is composed of Sacyr (Spain) Impregilo (Italy) Jan de Nul (Belgium) andConstructora Urbana SA, (Panama.)
A consortium press release said: “The company is affiliated with the Panamanian Chamber of Construction and workers belonging to the collective agreement the Union of Workers (SUNTRACS) and fully complies with the pay and conditions required under the agreement.. All GUPC workers enjoy a minimum wage of $2.90 an hour which is above the minimum wage prevailing in the rest of Panama. and has been paid continuously since the start of construction in August 2009.”