A complaint was filed with the Ministry of Labor and Labor Development (Mitradel) against the Panama Fourth Bridge Consortium (CPCP) for allegedly hiring workers of Chinese nationality illegally in numbers that exceed what is permitted by the Labor Code. Lawyer Rubén Castrejo Camarena, based on information from Panamanian workers, stated that in the construction works of the Fourth Bridge over the Panama Canal, dozens of Chinese workers are employed in teams to carry out specific tasks at different times.
According to the complaint filed by the lawyer, the Chinese workers arrive and leave in groups, under the supervision of Chinese engineers, receiving work instructions and carrying out tasks in the field. It is suspected that the CPCP hires Chinese workers illegally with the purpose of paying them salaries and benefits below what is established by Panamanian law, also avoiding the hiring of local subcontractors who would employ Panamanian workers.
The lawyer highlights that the Labor Code requires at least 90 percent of the ordinary workers to be Panamanian, allowing only 15 percent of "specialized" or "technical" foreign workers. The Panama Fourth Bridge Consortium (CPCP) is made up of China Communications Construction Company LTD and China Harbour Engineering Company LTD, responsible for the construction of the Fourth Bridge over the Panama Canal, a project managed by the National Government.
The contract for the construction of the Fourth Bridge has a value of 2,138.90 million dollars and has so far advanced by 17%. The complaint from Panamanian workers regarding the alleged illegal hiring of Chinese workers for this infrastructure project has been a topic of concern and is under investigation by the relevant authorities.
