Panama port workers’ victory leads to start of collective negotiations

Port workers in Panama celebrated a freedom of association victory on 29 September as their chosen union, ITF affiliate SITREBALCRI, began collective negotiations with the Panama Ports Company (PPC).
 
Previously, 1,000 workers were dismissed by the PPC, a subsidiary of Hutchinson Whampoa, following industrial action taken on 3 April 2012. Hutchinson Whampoa has the concessions of two of Panama’s most important ports, Balboa and Cristobal. The workers had demanded that the company respect the principle of freedom of association guaranteed by the Ministry of Labour (MITRADEL) when it brokered an agreement between the workers and PPC. The government was then forced to modify a law that had severely reduced the rights of PPC workers – part of a long history of labour issues including dismissals and a hunger strike.
 
The dismissed port workers organised themselves into an independent union, SITREBALCRI, which is also affiliated to ITF affiliate the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). SITREBALCRI recruited the vast majority of PPC port workers and requested a review of the collective agreement to include all port workers. When it discovered that MITRADEL had allocated some SITREBALCI members to ‘yellow’ (company) union, despite the PPC recognising SITREBALCRI representation on many issues, ITF general secretary Stephen Cotton wrote to Panama’s president to urge his intervention.

SITREBALCRI general secretary Alberto Ochoa said: "For the first time in 17 years the port workers are negotiating a collective agreement made by workers, and which achieves respect, better salaries and working conditions for all. We are seeking equality for all port workers, men and women, operators and administrators alike. We are driving ahead with this great project and we will do so in a united and transparent way until we have reached our goal."
 
ITF Inter-American regional secretary Antonio Rodriguez Fritz commented that the port workers’ long, difficult struggle had resulted in a major victory for them and SITREBALCRI, giving the workers the representation they had fought for. He applauded the fact that the union was finally able to start negotiations with PPC – something that will benefit both the workers and the company – and added that the ITF and ILWU had been proud to support the workers.

On 22 September SITREBALCRI, now widely recognised as the most representative port workers’ union, changed its name to the  Sindicato Industrial de Trabajadores/as Portuarios y Similares de Panama (SINTRAPORSPA).