The Portuguese government, once proud of maintaining social peace, has recently struggled to prevent a strike within a public company, instead placing blame on unions. Pedro Nuno Santos highlighted this issue during a street event in Évora, stating, “The ones conducting the strike are not union leaders; it’s the workers themselves.”
Responding to the comments made by Minister Miguel Pinto Luz the previous day, the Socialist Party leader remarked that the criticism “comes from someone who couldn’t prevent a strike and is trying to hold unions responsible,” while emphasizing that the actual problem is a total worker stoppage. “Union leaders can’t stop trains,” he remarked pointedly.
In light of the ongoing strike at CP—Comboios de Portugal, Fectrans has demanded more concrete actions from the government rather than just statements. They insisted that presenting an ultimatum of “take it or leave it” does not constitute genuine negotiation, while highlighting the strike’s continued full participation by workers.
As of 1 PM today, the strike proceeds without any minimal services, halting CP train operations nationwide, with expectations it will persist throughout the day. José Manuel Oliveira emphasized the need for flexibility in negotiations rather than the current stance of ultimatums.
Infrastructure and Housing Minister Miguel Pinto Luz accused the unions of politically motivated actions during an election period, stating that the government doesn’t bow to pressure but has pushed negotiation boundaries allowed under current legal management.
The strike, extending until May 14, is a protest against inadequate wage increases and demands for the negotiation of dignified pay raises and the implementation of a previously agreed salary restructuring plan. The impact of the strike will be most significant today and Thursday due to the participation of 14 unions on these days.
It’s worth noting that the strikes, following an Arbitration Tribunal decision, do not include provisions for minimum services.
