RECOPE workers plan strike today, could disrupt gasoline, diesel supply

February 21^st, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com) Costa Rica’s supply of gasoline and diesel fuels could be disrupted today, as the workers union of employees of the Costa Rican Oil Refinery (RECOPE) go on strike.

The strike relates to a labor agreement involving the capping of bonuses and severance.  The upset comes after the Comptroller General questioned the labor agreement before the Constitutional Court.

The strike will affect all RECOPE facilities in the country as well as administration offices, and the union did not rule out the involvement of the country’s gas stations.

Gilbert Brown, secretary general of the workers’ union, said that today’s strike and protests will be the first step in a struggle to protect the labor agreement.

“What we want to know is whether we have legal certainty in this country or if we have no certainty.  This is an issue that started in the year 2000, and repeatedly someone files an appeal against provisions of the agreement,” Brown said.

The articles questioned by the comptroller, amongst others, relate to the payment of incentive bonuses, annuities, and long term severance.

Jorge Villalobos, president of RECOPE, said that according to estimates by the Comptroller, just two of the incentive programs cost RECOPE 10 billion colones per year, or about $20 million USD.