US banana giant Chiquita fires thousands over Panama strike [View all]
Source: Aljazeera
President Jose Raul Mulino, whose changes to social security laws prompted the protest, called the strike ‘illegal’ and said the company has ‘just cause’ for the layoffs.
23 May 2025
Banana producer Chiquita has announced mass layoffs in Panama amid an ongoing strike.
The United States-owned banana giant said on Friday it was letting “all” daily labourers go for the “unjustified abandonment of work at our plantations”.
Workers have been on strike for more than a month, as part of nation-wide industrial action protesting new social security laws lowering pensions. The government has branded the strikes “illegal” and said the sackings are the result of workers’ “intransigence”.
Chiquita said in a statement that the strike had caused “irreversible damage ..[and] at least $75 million in losses”, adding that those affected by the layoffs are required to collect severance payments.
Chiquita Panama has reportedly sacked close to 5,000 workers out of a total of 6,500, over strike action prompted by government changes to social security [File: Enea Lebrun/Reuters]
Read more: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/23/us-banana-giant-chiquita-fires-thousands-over-panama-strike
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