Amid reports of vandalism, gunfire, fiery roadblocks, arrests, canceled negotiations, criminal infiltration, political posturing, and civil disobedience, the dock workers strike at the main seaport of Costa Rica continued on Monday evening with no end in sight. One of the latest developments of this strike, which has been going on for a week, is the possibility of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) organizing port strikes around the world in solidarity.

The strike at the ports of Moin and Limon has seen its share of violence perpetrated by criminals; however, police officers have also arrested dozens striking laborers blocking the path of trucks hauling shipping containers in and out of the docks. Leaders of the powerful ITF have been monitoring the situation in Costa Rica, and they are particularly concern about how things have developed over the last few days.

Despite the ongoing strike, cruise ships and maritime cargo vessels have been able to operate with only a few delays, and the reason for this continued operation can be pinpointed to government involvement in locking out striking workers and replacing them with non-union workers, many of them foreigners. In labor union parlance, these temporary workers are called “scabs.”

ITF leaders consider that the actions by the government of Costa Rica during the port strike have been heavy-handed. To this end, ITF has put its Latin American chapters on notice to potentially go on strike along with their fellow dock workers in Limon. This display of solidarity would begin in Central American and Caribbean ports if ITF considers that the demands presented by dock workers in Costa Rica are not being considered. If neighboring strikes fail to call attention to the issue, ITF would call on fellow unions in North and South America to take action as well before reaching out to chapters in other continents.

Earlier today, the Ministry of Labor announced that negotiations scheduled for Wednesday were called off after large photographs of President Luis Guillermo Solis and other public officials were burned during a street protest. Government officials have demanded a formal apology from union leaders, who explained that they have already written a letter to this effect. Meanwhile, Ministry officials have filed a complaint in court for the purpose of obtaining a judgment that would categorize the strike as an illegal act.

 

Sources: Manuel Sancho, CRHoy.com and Corianne Egan, JOC.com