PROTEST•TRAFFIC WARNING - Potential Serious TRAFFIC JAM - Monday November 11 in Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica from BIG PROTEST - National Day of Protest Mobilization

(SOURCE:  DiarioExtra.com)

UPDATES • RESULTS FROM THE PROTEST:
DiarioExtra.com/Dnew/noticiaDetalle/218366
They said "Chaos reigned from 9 am and everything back to normal at 1pm, when the traffic police reopened Avenida Segundo" and during that time "there was no way to leave or enter San Jose."
TicoTimes.net/More-news/News-Briefs/Snapshots-of-a-peaceful-Monday-protest-by-Costa-Rica-s-public-employees-_Monday-November-11-2013

TicoTimes.net/layout/set/print/More-news/News-Briefs/Snapshots-of-a-peaceful-Monday-protest-by-Costa-Rica-s-public-employees-_Monday-November-11-2013


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GROUPS CONTINUING THEIR PROTEST WITH WORK STOPPAGES:

HEALTHCARE WORKERS •  Healthcare workers at 45 of the country’s Basic Equipment Comprehensive Health Care Centers, known locally has EBAISs, are protesting a plan to privatize some of the centers or send residents to private clinics instead of the centers, which are used by many Costa Ricans for basic healthcare needs as part of the country’s public health system.

•  Calderon Guardia Hospital protesting a decision by the Social Security System (CCSS) to temporarily appoint Dr. Tatian Lemos as administrator of the hospital.  have said in a statement that their work stoppage will last “indefinitely.” effecting 80% of the hospital services (sounds like it's only mainly emergency services functioning)  -  InsideCostaRica.com/2013/11/12/healthcare-workers-continue-work-stoppage-today

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Here's a good assessment from AMCostaRica.com - November 12, 2103

As expected protests snarled
traffic and blocked highways

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

A man trying to get to work in San José Monday characterized the traffic situation as a nightmare. The reason was another of those strikes and marches by unions.

Similar marches and blockades took place at multiple locations in Costa Rica. At midday, the traffic jam on Ruta 32 from San José to Guápiles and the Caribbean coast was reported to be seven kilometers long.

There were marches in Siquirres, Puntarenas and in the canton of Osa.

The reason varies, but Casa Presidencial had complaints of its own.   Carlos Ricardo Benavides, minister of the Presidencia, stood in for President Laura Chinchilla. He said although protesters have the right to vent their complaints they do not have a right to block traffic.

The litany of complaints are mainly economic. Motorcyclists gathered in front of the main building of the Instituto Nacional de Seguros to complain about the cost of obligatory insurance. The government has set the top rate at 80,000 colons, about $160.

The state insurance firm (INS) closed its doors to the public for several hours Monday due to the protest.

Later in the day the insurance firm announced an accord with the Comité Civico Naiconal de Motorcyclistas. The insurance institute would apply to the insurance regulator for a lower insurance rate based on 2011 amounts and it will try to establish a separate class for motorcycles with small motors. In addition, the institute would set up courses to help prevent motorcycle accidents.

Some motorcyclists have no respect for traffic laws, jump red lights, weave among cars and trucks and frequently drive at high speeds down the oncoming lane.

The motorcycle committee appears to be the only protesters who received some satisfaction.
(WORLD ACCORDING TO VICKI COMMENT:
Since it sure seems to me that motorcyclists are such a HUGE part of the accidents around Costa Rica - hence the increase in $$ going out on claims - since they won in the compromise, I say perhaps the police should go AFTER these IDIOTS with Death Wishes that put OUR lives in dangers [to say nothing of the HELL one would go through/suffer if they hit/killed someone!!]).

Casa Presidencial will try to dock the salaries of those public employees who participated in the strike and march.

Benavides expressed official displeasure that a strike by Limón dock workers caused a cruise ship captain to cancel a port call, thereby keeping 2,000 tourists from the Caribbean community.


The government acted early Monday to ease some of the metro area congestion caused by the protests. Two bailey bridges at the Circunvalación washout between Hatillo and Pavas were opened, one for east and one for west traffic. That was effective later in the day when traffic resembled a Sunday. Not only did the bridges help, but many individuals stayed home to keep an eye on children whose teachers were striking or for other reasons. So afternoon traffic was unusually light.

Ironically, some of the 20 unions that participated are those who are responsible for some of the complaints. Public employees are treated well, and that results in higher prices. One of the complaints was about gasoline that was more than $5 a U.S. gallon. The state petroleum monopoly, Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo S.A.  has been criticized for highly favorable work contracts provided employees and the union. For example, the firm is obligated to provide vehicles to union leaders.

Most agree that the public workforce is overstaffed.

A lot of the complaints are beyond the government's ability to solve mainly because it is broke and paying nearly 50 percent of its bills with borrowed money. Although some were protesting taxes, no firm proposals have yet been advanced this year by the finance ministry.

(from - AmeliaRueda.com/nota/protestas-de-este-lunes-iniciaran-a-las-8-a.m.-desde-distintos-puntos-de-la)

Does anyone have any more details yet on the warning of a

BIG PROTEST in
Downtown San Jose AND in spots NATIONWIDE (Costa Rica) 

Monday - November 11, 2013

(from what I see, their intention is to hold much of it most of the day)

You might want to check in with the various news stations though I'd check their Facebook pages first.

http://LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2012/11/tv-stations-news-costa-rica.html

Marchers will be organizing at several places around the city, including Sabana Norte and the Fuente de Hispanidad in San Pedro. University students will be joining the protest there.

HOW BIG ARE THEY EXPECTING IT TO BE?

Albino Vargas Barrantes, secretary general of the  Asociación Nacional de Empleados Públicos y Privados, estimated 10,000 participants.

POLICE PRESENCE

They're planning on having at least 150 police out there (I had also seen they were going to have around 400 cops so . . . ), though, at times in the past they have not been real successful in preventing road blocks and rowdiness.


Here's what I've gathered so far: 

WHO'S PROTEST AND WHY?

From what I've found SO FAR (I'm SURE other groups are joining in as it seems like a mass strike) it sounds like THIS protest is being made up of the various Union and grassroot groups, many who have formed like an umbrella organization - Bloque Unitario Sindical y Social Costarricense • Block Association and Social Unit Costarricense (B.U.S.S.C.O.) as well as Farmer and Taxi Drivers - to denounce proposed increases in electricity rates, new taxes and perceived privatisation of public health services, and a BUNCH of other grievances.

I guess there's some sort of meeting in Parque Central (walking up Avenida 2nd•Segundo) at 11am. (I'm still working on details).
Who and what they are demanding is:

•   Health and Social Security  -  No to privatization of the CCSS, emphasizing the repeal of the contract with privatizing 45 EBAIS UNIBE San Pedro and Curridabat.
•   Moratorium on GMO products.
•   Education  -  No to budget cuts.
•   ICE  -  Not to increased rates and in defense of the electricity sector.
•  Concessions  -  OAS complaint, no docks delivery to the transnational Limon APM Terminal.
•   Cost of Living  -  against the new tax plan.

•   Motorcyclists  -  Marchamo Increases
•   Taxi Drivers  -  group of taxi drivers who will manifest from Cartago to San José.

"AGAINST THE DOMINANT MODEL (LOOTING, CORRUPTION, impunity)" 

MEDICAL CARE WORKERS:

Among the groups protesting will be the National Medical Union, though a representative said some staff would still tend to emergencies at the country’s hospitals.

The health sector unions are protesting a proposed alliance between the Social Security System (CCSS) and private clinics or hospitals for the care of patients.

sintaf.com/11%20noviembre%20protesta%20nacional.html - sent a notification out to the following groups/workers - SINTRAJAP, ANDE, SEC, APSE, HEALTH SECTOR (ANPE, SINASS, AESS, SINTRASAS, SITRASAL, sisss, SINTAF, UNDECA, SITRAHOSGUA, SIPROCIMECA, FUNASS), FIT-ICE, ANTTEC, ANEP, NATIONAL AND REGIONAL FORUMS, SINDEU, CGT, BOARDS OF HEALTH SECTOR STUDENT.  
They're calling for workers in workplaces where there are conditions to do it (NON-emergency departments), ALL workers stop working ALL DAY, mobilize and block the facilities and promote leafleting, loudspeakers and other mechanisms of motivation, information and propaganda and will participate in a bunch of protests around the country for their purpose of demonstrating against privatization of services and in defense of our rights at risk such as biweekly pay, annuities, unemployment and other things.

Their nationwide protests will be:

1. Central Mobilization in San Jose: North Sabana Ice Concentration, Hospital Mexico, Parque La Merced, Source of Hispanic Heritage. March to Presidential House•Casa Amarilla (arrive between 12-12:30 pm).
2. National mobilization regionalized South-South: Hospital Ciudad Neily, Rio Claro, South: Perez Zeledon, Lemon: Moin-Guápiles, Guanacaste-Nicoya Liberia, northern Huetar: Ciudad Quesada-Upala, Puntarenas: Monsignor Sanabria Hospital, Alajuela: San Ramon Naranjo-airport-park out of Juan Santamaria, Carthage Central Park-Ochomogo-Turrialba, Heredia: Pirro river.

ICE WORKERS

(SO YOU MAY NOT GET MUCH SERVICE FROM THE PHONE COMPANY TODAY)

ICE workers will also be on strike, and the agency said it would not provide services to the public on Monday.

TEACHERS STRIKE
(looks like it may effect school that day.  Check with your school)

The Association of Secondary School Teachers (APSE) also confirmed their participation in the strike, warning that classes would not be taught at many schools as a result. 
Teachers are unhappy about changes in their pension plan.

MARCHAMO INCREASE PROTEST - MOTORCYCLES

PROTEST:  11am in front of the INS  Instituto Nacional de Seguro Building

The Comité Cívico de Motociclistas - Motorcyclists, Cartago Taxis and Agricultural Workers will be protesting over the Marchamo Increase (some of my Facebook friends have said theirs have gone up around 20%) - asking for INS to roll back the cost of the mandatory insurance portion of the Marchamo (especially because this year INS actually reported making a profit!!).  AMCostaRica.com wrote on November 11 that the Comite Civica Motorcylistas is unhappy with the dual levels of the obligatory vehicle insurance. INS - the Instituto Nacional de Seguros set up 2 levels after protests last year so that some motorcycle drivers would not have to pay as much. But the lower limit of 3.5 million colons (about $7,000) is not adequate insurance, said the committee. Despite the record of motorcycle accidents and fatalities, the organization wants lower rates. Organizers are disputing the actuarial figures provided by the state insurance company and are being assisted by the legal staff of Asociación Nacional de Empleados Públicos y Privados.
(doesn't it seem a bit ironic to you that the motorcyclists are protesting an increase in the Marchamo - since isn't a BIG factor in insurance premium increases based on increase in accidents?  And based on the accidents I see on the street, the majority of them seem to involve a motorcycle usually - hence I'm SURE that a LARGE % of accidents that happen are due to the often [not always I'm sure] INSANE motorcyclists with a death wish eh??!?!?!  and with that sort of "No Fault" type insurance - of course the insurance is going to go up if there's more accidents. 

INCREASE IN ELECTRICITY RATES FOR RESIDENTIAL USERS ONLY

The Asociación Nacional de Empleados Públicos y Privados will protest because of the increase electrical rates that  residential bills but not those of big users. 

Also, representatives of the Frente Interno de Trabajadores and of the Trabajadoras del Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad unions want the rate-setting organization to charge big users more so the electrical institute can get more money.
(this WILL probably effect customer services offices and repair services at ICE-Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad)

DOCKS IN LIMON

Unionized employees of the Junta de Administracion Portuaria y de Desarrollo Economico de la Vertiente Atlántica will be protesting in Limón and have some representatives in San Jose. The union workers oppose the plan for APM terminals to build a $1 billion container handling facility in Moín and vented their unhappiness at a public meeting Saturday. Environmental officials who were presenting their study of the proposed facility had to shut down the meeting because of the unruly union members.

The container facility is seen as the centerpiece of an economic revival for the region, but union members are trying to keep their jobs and privileges.


The Minister of Communication, Carlos Roverssi, said this afternoon via a press release that the union action is meaningless. He described the protesters as "distorting groups of social peace" and said there is no reason to protest.
(interesting response from the Minister of "Communications" considering what they're all asking about seems pretty legitimate as it effects their pocketbooks•families•lifestyles• livelihoods.  Sounds kinda condescending to me!  You???)


NOTE:  Even if you do not go into San Jose - this STILL can VERY WELL EFFECT YOU - ESPECIALLY if you take buses since they may VERY WELL be disrupted.
I'll share it here if/when I get more info or you please e- me at LivingLifeInCostaRica@gmail.com

(THANX for the heads up on it Judith!!!)

SOME SOURCES:

InsideCostaRica.com/2013/11/08/unions-social-sectors-announce-mass-strike-protests-monday
HthBusiness.com/health_sec_news/newsalerts_article.cfm?arId=4100

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