Trade unions in Costa Rica

Trade unions in Costa Rica advocate for the rights of workers in Costa Rica. Dating back to the late 1800s, labor unions in the country have been a political force. They remain active in political and social life for many Costa Ricans.

During the late 1800s, there were tremendous tensions with workers and managers building the railroads in Costa Rica. While these tensions led to violence against the Jamaican and Chinese workers, they did not lead to the creation of labor unions. Labor unions in Costa Rica began to develop in the 1880s, often being initiated as guilds. During this time, large scale agricultural production developed in Costa Rica, spurred largely by coffee exports. One of the first labor unions in Costa Rica, the Mutual Aid Society, was founded by Catholic priest Francisco Calvo.

With the support of Monsignor Bernardo Augusto, the Bishop of San José, who wrote a pastoral letter called "Fair Day for Laborers and Artisans," many Costa Ricans began to consider the wages and conditions of the country's workforce. Augusto created a group called the "Catholic Union," which organized workers to promote spiritual and social welfare. The first strike in Costa Rica occurred in 1888, involving Italian laborers working on the railroad. It was legal and recognized by the government.

Mutual aid societies gave way to unions that advocated political lobbying rather than social welfare. In 1901, the League of Workers was created. Later, just before the Great Depression, political unions in Costa Rica attempted to assert political pressure, especially after the advent of the Popular Vanguard Party. Omar Dengo, for whom the National University of Costa Rica's main campus is named, and others organized Costa Rica's first International Workers' Day celebrations in 1913, the same year that the General Workers Confederation was founded. These groups played a crucial role in passing Alfredo González Flores' tax reforms.

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