The president of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, signed on Monday, June 16, Law 471, a new legal framework specifically designed to meet the demands of workers of the banana sector. The legislation was the result of a dialogue process after several weeks of social tension in Bocas del Toro.
The initiative arose after the Bananera Industry Workers Union (Sitraibana) denounced affectations to their rights, After the changes introduced by Law 462 that reformed the Social Security Fund system. According to the guild, these modifications altered the conditions previously established by Law 45 of 2017, especially in pensions.
The protests included road blockages and a stoppage in the operations of the Chiquita Panama company since the end of April. Given the pressure, the Executive, together with representatives of the union and the National Assembly, initiated a negotiation process that led to the drafting and subsequent approval of the new regulations.
Law 471 seeks to restore labor benefits, in particular the disease subsidies, which workers considered at risk. Its implementation was key for the union to accept the protests and reopen the passage in the province, which ends a stage of conflict in the region.
