On the 26th day of the indefinite strike, the Project for the Strengthening of Public Finances was voted on in the first reading. More than 30 legislators voted in favor, while 22 voted against.
On Friday night, some union representatives urged the strikers to continue with the movement, “visit” the homes of the 35 legislators who voted in favor, and meet on Monday at 8 am near Central Park.
Who will continue the strike? What will happen to the agreement proposed by the government? Will the processes of illegality of the strike continue?
As announced by the media, on Friday afternoon, while the legislators voted on the tax reform, the representatives of the National Union of Employees of the Fund and Social Security (UNDECA) and the Nursing Union (SINAE) negotiated the end of the strike with the authorities of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS).
This Saturday it was announced that these employees will return to medical centers from Sunday, extraordinary days will be implemented to reduce the waiting lists caused by the strike. The reduction of the salaries will be enforced once the declaration of illegality is ratified.
One of the unions that will continue striking is the Association of Teachers (APSE).
The indefinite national strike in union unity has not ended. We are still fighting. Let’s not give up! This fight is for you, it’s for me, it’s for Costa Rica,”
posted the association on Facebook.
The MEP has had to modify content and dates of tests. Educational protest has also left many children who rely on school cafeterias for good nutrition without food.
Both the unions that have already called off the strike and those that have not, have until 5 pm on Monday to sign the government’s proposal to advance to the next stage of negotiations on tax matters.
The main aspect of this preliminary agreement is the creation of a dialogue table to discuss union proposals on tax matters.
Next week, the Labor Courts will issue their final verdicts regarding the strike in each sector; as well as the ratification of illegality, after three working days of the deadline to appeal. More than 30 institutions requested a declaration of illegality, of which 13 were already sentenced as such and two as legal.