
“We would like to, before touching the strike law, create the widest possible consensus on the topics and points that need to be changed in the law,” stated André Ventura to journalists upon arrival at Quinta Monte Redondo in Sintra to participate in a presentation session of municipal candidates.
The leader of Chega expressed the view that a set of measures are agreed upon among right-wing parties regarding the strike law, specifically that “public services, such as transport, cannot stop indiscriminately and leave people without transportation.”
Another matter he believes to be consensual is that those with passes, whether from Carris or CP, “cannot simply be left without service” and should be compensated for service interruptions in the event of a strike.
André Ventura emphasized that “there is no doubt” that “workers have the right to strike,” but he also stressed that “citizens have the right to ensure that public services operate,” particularly transportation and hospitals.
“This is the conflict of interests that needs to be resolved, and it would be advisable to create some consensus instead of doing what the Government often does, which is to put the law out there in any manner, unilaterally, and then see how it goes. No, this needs to be negotiated, worked on, and we are open and willing to do so,” he remarked, noting that he has not yet had any contact with the PSD or the Government on this matter.
When asked with whom he intends to reach this broad consensus, André Ventura replied: “Especially with the right majority, with the IL, with the PSD, with the CDS.”
“I think it is possible, especially because we have a majority in parliament, to embark on this battle without letting the left turn it into an ideological struggle and a battle of PREC versus anti-PREC or carnations versus anti-carnations,” he concluded.