Negotiations will continue today between the Panama Canal Authority and the unions representing 8,000 of its workers.

The agreement, which will cover 80 percent of the workforce, will go into effect next year.

Negotiations will focus - among other things - on the demand for a $10 per hour increase requested Feb. 10 by the unions, Panama Area Metal Trades Council (PAMTC), National Maritime Union (NMU) and Sindicato del Canal de Panamá y del Caribe (SCPC).

On Jan. 19, Canal Administrator Jorge Luis Quijano signed an agreement with the unions to begin negotiating the new contract. Negotiations will also begin soon with the other unions, which represent pilots, engineers and captains.

See more at:

http://www.prensa.com/in_english/ACP-workers-negotiations_21_4149545010.html#sthash.wuF5Jm8H.dpuf