The Arbitration Tribunal unanimously decided not to set any minimum services for the “Strike between 00:00 on May 7 and 24:00 on May 14, 2025, and the Strike from 00:00 on May 7 to 24:00 on May 8, 2025,” as detailed in a decision published by the Economic and Social Council on May 2.
Nonetheless, it was stipulated that services necessary for the safety and maintenance of equipment and facilities, emergency services, rescue trains, and all compositions that have commenced their journey should be conducted to their destination.
The Arbitration Tribunal considered imposing minimum services for May 7, 8, and 9, acknowledging the significant demand on urban lines in Lisbon and Porto, despite the availability of alternatives to rail transport for these areas.
“However, the implementation […] was deemed inadvisable because it did not guarantee the minimum standards of user safety at railway station platforms and in the operation of compositions, according to information obtained from the company, without simultaneously undermining the core essence of the right to strike and without fulfilling the essential social needs,” emphasized the panel of arbitrators led by Jorge Bacelar Gouveia.
Last week, coinciding with an electricity failure that affected Portugal and Spain for several hours, a strike by CP ticket inspectors, without minimum services, resulted in a total suspension of rail service until 10:00 AM, followed by the last update from the company after the power outage around 11:30 AM.
Several unions representing CP workers filed a strike notice with the transport company, scheduled from 00:00 on May 7 to 24:00 on May 8, in protest against the imposition of salary increases “that do not restore purchasing power” and advocating for “collective bargaining of fair wage increases.”
The workers further demand the “implementation of the salary table restructuring agreement as negotiated and agreed.”
The strike notice was submitted by the Association of Intermediate Management of Railway Operations (ASCEF), the Independent Railway Workers Association of the Commercial Career (ASSIFECO), the Federation of Transport and Communications Unions (FECTRANS), the National Union of Transport, Communications, and Public Works (FENTCOP), the National Union of Railway Movement and Related Workers (SINAFE), the Democratic National Railway Union (SINDEFER), and the Independent Union of Railway Infrastructure Workers (SINFA).
Additional signatories include the National Independent Railway Workers Union (SINFB), the National Union of Transport and Industry Workers (SINTTI), the Independent Union of Railway Operators and Related Workers (SIOFA), the National Union of Technical Staff (SNAQ), the National Union of Railway Sector Workers (SNTSF), the Railway Transport Workers Union (STF), and the Metro and Railway Workers Union (STMEFE).
