Clashes between police and trade unionists in Panama – Prinsa Latina

For several days, the United Union of Construction Workers and the like (Suntracs) peacefully demonstrated in front of the meeting place, but on Monday there were reactions from the police and protesters, who threw pellets and stones, respectively, which has not happened since. 2012.

This caused the closure of the only entrance to the Calzada de Amador in the capital, where the Parliament of Latin America and the Caribbean (Parlatino) is located, the meeting place, whose building remains surrounded by riot police and fences to prevent the protagonists of the protest. From entering.

Press reports and videos distributed on social media showed the confrontation, which did not report any casualties or detainees so far, although some analysts expected that these events may accelerate the end of the dialogue facing resistance in various sectors.

At least one central union was invited to the discussion table and the unions of teachers and health professionals decided to abandon the talks due to disagreements with the chosen method of developing them and what they call assumptions from the government.

The actors in the dialogue are the formal institutions such as the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the Ministries of Economy, Finance, Labor and Social Security. Representations from employers ‘unions, labor and professional organizations, but the protesters’ complaint is that employees are in the minority.

Among the protesters ’complaints is that a“ dialogue between me and me ”is taking place inside, indicating that there is no relative working counterpart, in addition to a proposal to increase the retirement age and contributions to the social security system, which workers reject. And employers.

Since the previous administration, the risk remains around the possibility of bankruptcy of the retirement fund, disability and death, which some experts attribute to a change in the way funds are accumulated, which has generated the current crisis, the solution of which is the focus of discussion of the table created in Parlatino.

jcm / orm