Hotel and dive operators walk out over wage demands

On Monday, approximately 120 workers from three beachfront hotels and two dive cooperatives in Puerto Azul stopped work, staging a peaceful protest outside the main promenade. They are demanding an eight‑percent wage increase to offset the recent rise in fuel and food prices, which the Federal Treasury reports as a 3.6 % inflation rate for the quarter.

The strike coincides with the federal tourism‑marketing budget debate in Meridian, where the governing Unity Party proposes to allocate an additional ₣ 2.5 million to coastal promotion. Union representative Ana Solís told the Herald that “without a fair wage, the sector cannot sustain the visitor numbers we rely on.” Management has indicated they are willing to negotiate but will not meet the full demand before the regional assembly’s budget session on 30 October.