Chiquita fires thousands of striking banana workers in Panama, says it suffered $75 million losses

In Panama, workers protest against mass redundancies at Chiquita, social cuts and the expansion of the US military presence, but the government faithfully enforces Washington's interests.

US Banana Giant Chiquita Fires Thousands of Striking Workers in Panama

The Chiquita workers' strike is part of a nationwide protest movement against pension reforms approved by Panama's right-wing government.

Strikes caused the company economic losses of 75 million US dollars. Workers are supposed to pick up their papers.

US banana giant Chiquita fires thousands over Panama strike

President Jose Raul Mulino, whose changes to social security laws prompted the protest, called the strike ‘illegal’.

The background to the delay is a planned pension reform. The authorities had several union leaders arrested after protests. Now the US banana producer Chiquita reacts with a hard hand.

Workers have been on strike on Chiquita banana plantations in Panama for almost a month. Now the company has announced the dismissal of almost 5,000 harvest workers.