The workers' union at Station Wagon inter-provincial buses; company treatment of its union and union members (1996-2002) [CRI40309.E]

Station Wagon is a company that provides bus service between San Jose and Alajuela (La Nación 29 Aug. 2002; CostaRicaBureau 24 July 2002). No published references to a union within the company could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. No attempts to communicate with the company were made for the purposes of researching this Response.

The company's bus terminal in San Jose, located on the north side of La Merced church, has reportedly been closed a number of times by San Jose municipal authorities (La Nación 25 Aug. 2002). The most recent closure was for a few days in late August 2002, due to a conflict over the company's municipal business registration (patente); the company continued loading and unloading passengers at La Merced park until the conflict was resolved and the terminal re-opened (ibid.; ibid. 29 Aug. 2002).

The only other published reports referring to the Station Wagon company found among the sources consulted refer to collisions between two buses apparently caused by company drivers (A.M. Costa Rica 2 July 2002; La Nacion 22 Mar. 2001), and an armed robbery of a Staion Wagon bus (ibid. 10 July 2001).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


A.M. Costa Rica [San Jose]. 2 July 2002. "Tico Law: Two Buses Cannot Occupy the Same Space..." http://www.amcostarica.com/070202.htm [Accessed 16 Oct. 2002]

CostaRicaBureau, San Jose. 24 July 2002. "Central Valley-Alajuela." http://www.costaricabureau.com/costaricainfo/alajuela.htm [Accessed 16 Oct. 2002]

La Nación [San Jose]. 29 August 2002. "Síntesis Nacional: Regreso a terminal." http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2002/agosto/29/pais6.html [Accessed 16 Oct. 2002]

_____. 25 August 2002. "Síntesis Nacional: Clausuran terminal." http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2002/agosto/25/pais5.html [Accessed 16 Oct. 2002]

_____. 10 July 2001. "Síntesis Policial: Golpe en bus." http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2001/julio/10/pais9.html [Accessed 16 Oct. 2002]

_____. 22 March 2001. "Percance de buses en autopista General Cañas: Seis heridos en choque." http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2001/marzo/22/pais10.html [Accessed 16 Oct. 2002]

Additional Sources Consulted


Central America Report [Guatemala City]. 1997-2002.

Country Reports 1996-2001. 1997-2002.

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), Brussels. Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights 1999-2002, special reports and archives.

IRB Databases.

The Tico Times [San Jose]. Searchable archives.

Internet sites and search engines, including:

Global Unions, Brussels.

International Labour Organization.

The International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF), Petit-Lancy, Switzerland.

La Prensa [Tegucigalpa].