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The study provides a comprehensive analysis of the judicial review of the special labor regime of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), a unique legal system that combines administrative autonomy with its own regulatory framework designed to meet the operational demands of one of the world’s most strategic commercial routes. Through a doctrinal, normative, and jurisprudential approach, it examines the constitutional and legal foundations of this regime and the institutional mechanisms responsible for its oversight.
The research explains how Law 19 of 1997 and the ACP’s internal regulations establish a labor framework distinct from the Panamanian Labor Code, prioritizing principles such as merit, equal opportunity, and the prohibition of discrimination. However, this autonomy operates under specialized supervisory bodies, such as the Labor Relations Board, which ensures legality in labor relations within the canal sector.
The article reviews relevant cases and jurisprudential criteria that have established standards on disciplinary due process, pay equity, and protection against retaliation. It also identifies tensions between the ACP’s need for operational flexibility to maintain global competitiveness and its obligation to uphold labor rights according to national and international standards.
Finally, the study concludes that judicial oversight fulfills both corrective and preventive functions, strengthening institutional legitimacy and worker confidence. The effectiveness of the special labor regime ultimately depends on the ability of its oversight bodies to adapt to evolving labor and economic conditions without compromising the principles of justice, equity, and transparency.
