World News for Students of English

12-06-2025 07:00

Chiquita, a large American banana company, plans to stop all work in Panama and make all its workers redundant. The decision comes after long protests over new pension laws.

Earlier in May, the company had already laid off around 5,000 workers after strikes disrupted banana production. Although a court said the strike was illegal, the protests continued. Now, Chiquita says it will close operations in the region and has already moved key staff to Costa Rica. The president of Panama says this is a big problem for the country’s economy, especially for regions that depend on banana farming. The loss of 7,000 jobs could cause major problems like poverty, food shortages, and school closures. Many people now fear that the company will leave Panama completely.

Government officials hope that dialogue can still help resolve the issue. However, they say workers must also be willing to talk. If not, the region may face more poverty and fewer job opportunities in the future.

Difficult words: redundant (losing a job because the company no longer needs it), lay off (to end a worker’s job, usually because there is not enough work to do), dialogue (talking to find a solution).

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