Panama Experiencing Nationwide Strike Over Rising Cost Of Living

Panama City, Panama (AHN) - Panama is still experiencing a nationwide strike over the rising cost of living there, inflation hit 9 percent earlier this year.

Protesters are calling on the government to stop the rising cost of living by imposing price controls on basic food items. They are also calling for salary increases of 20 percent to cope with higher prices.

The strike was crippling public transportation on Thursday and most construction sites lacked workers.

A strike by workers at two of the nation's ports at opposite ends of the Panama Canal ended Tuesday after one day and didn't significantly affect traffic on the canal that handles 5 percent of global trade, according to reports.

Union workers ended the strike by accepting an offer from the labor ministry to arbitrate the disagreement over pay for shift work.