MOAS

Those initials stand for Mother Of All Strikes which is currently happening in Costa Rica. I have said it before and I am saying it again, Costa Rica has huge financial problems. I had just talked to a friend of mine that is a school teacher and she told me that they hadn't been paid, once again, for two months. The last time they didn't get paid for four months. If you have a trip planned in the next few days, expect road blocks from the airport to San Jose.

The following is what I read today:

The second day of the Mother of All Strikes (MOAS) in Costa Rica caused headaches for passengers at the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), which serves the Greater San Jose Metropolitan Area (Spanish initials: GAM).

Access to SJO via the main highway that connects the airport with San Jose was blocked by MOAS protestors who marched in the vicinity of the San Rafael Hospital managed by La Caja, Costa Rica’s public healthcare system.

Since the off ramp exit from the highway was cut off by members of labor unions on strike, drivers were forced to cut across medians and risk incoming traffic to reach SJO.

Officers from Fuerza Publica, the national police force of Costa Rica, set up barricades to stop workers on strike from spilling out into the highway and creating a dangerous situation. These barricades ended forcing some air travelers to park on the median and cart their luggage across that highway to reach the passenger terminal while officers directed traffic.

The blockage lasted for about 45 minutes, and it also affected arriving passengers looking for ground transportation out of SJO.

As previously reported by The Costa Rica Star, MOAS was launched on Tuesday with a huge march by union groups in defense of labor rights and public institutions paralyzed classes at Costa Rica’s public schools and assorted health services.

MOAS extended to Wednesday with striking workers fully aware that they were forfeiting two full days of pay. President Luis Guillermo Solis has promised that the strikers’ demands, which have been summarized to 16 points, will be discussed at a later date.

Some of the demands are: respect for labor rights, defense of the CCSS, defense of the education budget and opposition to sales and income tax increases, salary hikes, land for peasants, pressure on the rich to pay taxes, and access to water as a public right.

Source: http://news.co.cr/protests-disrupt-airport-operations-in-costa-rica/46991/

thanks steve, in absentia on behalf of those there or headed that way (I will not be among them)

Since the off ramp exit from the highway was cut off by members of labor unions on strike, drivers were forced to cut across medians and risk incoming traffic to reach SJO.

Reminded me of my experience recently when the driver of the bus I was on pulled a U-turn and then drove the wrong way down a toll highway before crossing a farm field, all in an effort to join the free highway and avoid construction ahead on the cuota that reduced traffic to a crawl. This happened in Mexico, but I find Latin American drivers resourceful.

There are major demonstrations all over the country, somebody sent me some photos, of downtown San Jose and it didn't look pretty.

Thanks Steve, power to the people!

Nothing new, Costa Rica has strikes all the time, and protest, just like other countries in region. I was in Nicaragua when the students protest hit and turned violent and riots ensued in Managua and Leon, had to change our plans on the go.

Public Sector is mainly union, and this results in mass gatherings anytime the Govt tries to change anything, just like the strikes in Chicago as of recent.

The CR Govt has not more financial issues than any other country at present. You might also want to consider it also has one the most literate population in the region due to its focus on education, and the lowest poverty rate, due to a health economy and a lot of foreign investment and economic expansion in last decade. The average wage paid in CR is also far higher than its neighbors and has a much larger middle class too...

This post has been removed because it may not have met our community guidelines.

Actually this is what lonely planet says about trolls (an excerpt from their community guidelines): "Trolls post messages or content deliberately designed to get the blood boiling...."

My travel experience in Costa Rica is too distant to authorize me to give current advice, but I like to read the forum in anticipation of a future trip.

Actually this is what lonely planet says about trolls (an excerpt from their community guidelines): "Trolls post messages or content deliberately designed to get the blood boiling...."

My travel experience in Costa Rica is too distant to authorize me to give current advice, but I like to read the forum in anticipation of a future trip.

True, making comments about place they have never been, making comments that the traveler that has been there knows is not true. Why do they do that?

Actually this is what lonely planet says about trolls (an excerpt from their community guidelines): "Trolls post messages or content deliberately designed to get the blood boiling...."

My travel experience in Costa Rica is too distant to authorize me to give current advice, but I like to read the forum in anticipation of a future trip.

True, making comments about place they have never been, making comments that the traveler that has been there knows is not true. Why do they do that?

Once upon a time when TT still had a post count I could see the (ego) reasoning but now??? Just don't have a life, I guess.

This is awesome second-hand info from someone's friend's daughter's lover's babysitter. A 45-minute travel delay in Central America? Strikes? This is shocking, thought-provoking stuff. Similar things are happening in Europe, but on a much larger scale. What's going on in Costa Rica is more the second cousin of all strikes, twice removed.

The beautiful thing about this forum is that people are allowed to post their opinions about travel-related issues, including things that they "heard" or stuff that people have "told" them. Unfortunately, some folks seem to never learn that directly insulting or attacking people is what gets their accounts deleted again... and again... and again. Not rocket science is putting it lightly. Plain English: criticize people's advice or info, not the people themselves. Seems kind of simple?

Maybe if some old guy who used to be on the forum 10 years ago were here, he'd be able to clear it all up... oh but wait no. Somebody said something he disagreed with and "drove him off the forum," right? Such a shame that he wasn't around to tell that lady how many panties to pack for her vacation!

After all of the borderline psychotic harassment directed at #5 over the years, it's a miracle that he hasn't done the same (not to mention all of the folks who have been repeatedly kicked off here... talk about not being able to take a hint).

This post has been removed because it may not have met our community guidelines.

I've cleaned up the thread a bit and removed/edited some personal attacks directed towards certain members.

I have also italicised the article quote in the OP's post and placed the source of the article at the bottom, in order to avoid confusion over the OP's words and the article they are quoting.

I'm not saying that anyone in here is a troll, but I would like to remind people that part of the rules involve not being a troll, as well as not feeding the trolls. If you suspect someone is trolling, simply ignore them and report their post to the moderators for further action.

I do believe, from reading the article, that the strike should be over by now. With that being said, if anyone has any current and relevant information to share about this strike, please feel free to do so.

The Protest are over. The issue is not even being reported in the media. Sunday is Labor Day and thats when the Unions always march, as they are monopolies of the govt owned enterprises, and are never happy, go figure.

In other news, Nicaragua just bought $71 million worth of Russian tanks, the hemispheres 2nd poorest country, which happens to border Costa Rica, and Costa Rica is a country with no Military, as they spend those funds, on education, thats why Costa Rica, is considered the Switzerland, in Central America. And has had a huge growth in the private sector and foreign investment.

Looks like Ortega's grip on power continues, and threats to neighbors in region will resume, after the failed land annexation along the Rio San Juan...

#10, you (enrofloxamak) state: "After all of the borderline psychotic harassment directed at #5 (moto) over the years, it's a miracle that he hasn't done the same"

and then you follow with "some folks seem to never learn that directly insulting or attacking people is what gets their accounts deleted again..."

this is all very eloquent and at first sight appears reasonable. yet on contemplation I see a possible contradiction: mrmoto (aka ticotim and maybe 10 other handles) (whom I have the utmost respect for) whom you portray as a victim has repeatedly had accounts deleted for acrimony with other members. So aren't you defending him for that which you put others down? Consequently according to your rationale I am unsure how to classify him, victim or aggressor. I'm not trying to put anybody down here, I have the utmost esteem for all parties. maybe someone can help me with this paradox.

And you, 10, have you not yourself undergone a metamorphosis yor own self? What is it with that? Have you not repeatedly had posts removed and interrupted pervectly harmonious threads to settle the score on ancient grudges? Have you not badgered, questioning their cognitive abilities and integrity for asking what you think are incompetent questions?

Cast the first stone, ye who is without sin!

It appears the strike/protest is indeed over.

So too is this thread.