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Salaried professionals organize against CSS changes

by Joel Inwood

In what may prove to have been one of the turning points in the protest movement against the now suspended Law 17 that reforms the Social Security Fund, the Association of Salaried Professionals met on June 20 to discuss a plan of action for their participation in the Torrijos administration’s dialogue over the system’s restructuring.

In the Roma Plaza Hotel a large group of association members gathered for an urgent last minute meeting about how they could participate as a group in the national debate and promote their own reform vision. Among the topics discussed, the idea of turning their association into a guild, which would give them more legal rights, came up repeatedly.

No action was taken to create a guild at that meeting. It would have taken too long in the pace of events of the week leading up to suspension of the law to have done so. A middle class guild with such an encompassing potential  membership, however, could present quite a challenge to any law or proposal that that they sided against.

A clear majority of those in attendance opposed the idea of the group taking on any “political” direction. They preferred to focus on specific issues that affect their members, which would separate them from many of Panama’s other unions and business and professional associations that take on political platforms.

They approved three key points at the meeting: first to try and get a seat at the Social Security Fund (CSS) dialogue table, second press for the suspension of the law, though not making it a precondition for dialogue, and third to create a coordinating committee of volunteers to plan their actions and speak for their organization in the matter.

They agreed to gather for a protest on Calle 50 two days later, just before concluding the meeting. Several in attendance expressed their concern that if the crowd wasn’t big enough that it would be an embarrassment. On the 22nd, however, a human chain of salaried professionals stretched across several blocks along the sidewalk, carrying picket signs and wearing business attire. There was a very sizeable crowd, which torrential rains eventually dispersed later that evening.

A few days later the law was suspended and the dialogue had begun. Protests largely quieted down, and the general strike was concluded. The role of middle class concerns in the suspension of the law shouldn’t be underestimated. And if an agreement isn’t reached at this dialogue table perhaps the Salaried Professionals Guild will be at the next one.