Labor disputes and internal bickering between labor unions and immigration officials may complicate the legal status of visitors, perpetual tourists and other foreigners in Costa Rica. At the heart of the issue is an operations manual that aimed to reflect the national security policy of improvement undertaken by the administration of President Laura Chinchilla; alas, it looks like this is a problem that President Elect Luis Guillermo Solis will have to inherit.

The National Association of Public Sector Employees (Spanish acronym: ANEP) is arguably the most powerful labor union in Costa Rica. Representatives of this union are negotiating on behalf of more than 400 government employees who serve as immigration police officers, and many of them operate at the airports and border crossing points in Costa Rica. They check passports and visas, maintain physical security and conduct investigations.

Immigration police officers are the first Ticos many foreign visitors meet when they arrive in Costa Rica. Since early April, many of these officers have gone on strike under direction of ANEP. Some have refused to work altogether and instead have protested at visible points of entry such as the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO). ANEP representatives have warned that strikes and protests may extend to the Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR) in Guanacaste.

According to ANEP, immigration officials have failed at trying to organize a police corps and in the process are threatening to eliminate many positions. In the past, the Immigration Directorate in Costa Rica did not conduct law enforcement operations, and thus only 23 employees had actually attended the police academy. The new operations manual makes passport control employees police officers as well, but more than 380 of them have not gone to the academy, which would require their immediate replacement.

The other problem has to do with salaries. Since these special police officers are conducting both law enforcement and clerical duties, ANEP leaders believe they should be paid accordingly. Ministry of Security officials disagree.

Protests at checkpoints have thus far not affected the immigration flow. Immigration police officers are taking turns at passport control, and Fuerza Publica officers have stepped in to help. Some people actually believe that the process is running smoother now.

Source: CRHoy.com