The world’s busiest canal and the lives of the thousands of workers who keep it running are at risk, says ITF affiliate UCOC (Unión de Capitanes y Oficiales de Cubierta).
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The Panama Canal Administration (ACP) has begun to cut corners on coronavirus safety measures previously agreed with the union.
The union says the canal authority is relaxing measures in their work areas, established to prevent workers from catching the virus and becoming sick, or becoming fatigued through overwork during the pandemic.
When Panama’s government began introducing coronavirus protocols in workplaces in March, the canal authority, which is state operated, introduced social distancing and prevention measures for their workers – many of them secured by the union.
The company initially wanted twelve-hour shifts during seven to ten straight days in order to maintain efficiency with fewer workers per shift.
The union pushed back on these demands, ensuring shifts were instead taken on a rotational basis to reduce fatigue for individual workers.
Under the agreement, workers only had to do the twelve-hour shifts for three and four days in a row, maximum.
ACP’s memorandum of understanding with the union also set out specific social distancing measures and things like minimum days off, special schedules, and the use of docks for tug crew reliefs.
UCOC also securedlodging and lunch boxes for workers who didn’t want to return home for fear of contracting the virus and infecting their families.
But the canal authority is now set on undoing the coronavirus measures agreed with the union.
The moves initially mirrored action by the Panamanian government to loosen coronavirus restrictions in an effort to restart the country’s economy.
After cases in the Central American country started rising again and protests broke out by worried citizens, the government started bringing back the restrictions.
With the country heading back to lockdown, ACP should keep the restrictions agreed with their workforce, says the union.
Under the MOU, ACP is supposed to consult with the union on any changes in work schedules and rotations, before going back to regular conditions and any change should be based strictly on the guidelines the Health Minister.
Now that the government is reintroducing restrictions, the union claims ACP has broken its commitment to put workers’ health first and respect all government guidelines contained in the agreement.
The move to water down coronavirus restrictions despite rising Covid cases in Panama is a high stakes gamble for the canal authority.
A spike in infections could see their valuable workforce incapacitated, bringing one of the world’s most important workplaces to a standstill and leaving global supply chains at risk. ■