“The SIMA publicly denounces what we already knew, but today it was documented: TAP is sabotaging the ongoing strike at Menzies/SPdH. And it is doing so outside the law, in full view of everyone, with the complicity of the Government,” states the union in a statement released today.
Contacted by Lusa, an official TAP source stated the company “is doing everything to minimize the impact of this strike on its passengers, but – it assured – always in strict compliance with the law.”
To substantiate the allegation, the union attached an internal operations notice issued this morning, confirming that “TAP – Maintenance technicians are replacing striking workers, performing the ‘phonics of departure’ (critical communications between the ramp and the cockpit), which is the function of SPdH/Menzies.”
“TAP usually hides behind its 49.9% stake in Menzies to deny responsibility. But today it became clear, when it comes to breaking a strike and crushing workers, TAP even gets on the planes,” asserts the union.
Highlighting that the direct or indirect replacement of strikers is “a gross violation of strike law,” SIMA ensures that “TAP is not merely ‘collaborating,'” but is “operating on the ground as a substitute for the handling company” and, therefore, “committing an illegality.”
Given this situation, the union believes the TAP administration, led by Luís Rodrigues, “owes an explanation to the country” and must “assume its direct responsibility in the repression of a legitimate strike.”
Furthermore, it questions “where the Portuguese Government” is, as it “cannot pretend not to see” while being “the majority shareholder of TAP and aware of the labor situation at Menzies.”
“TAP’s involvement in handling tasks during the strike directly compromises the State. Silencing this allegation is accepting the destruction of the right to strike in Portugal,” accuses SIMA.
The union asserts that the current strike at Menzies “has revealed what was intended to be hidden: a scheme of labor repression, where TAP, Menzies, and the State act together against the workers,” assuring that it “will not remain silent.”
Menzies Aviation workers are today fulfilling the third of four days of a strike called by SIMA and the Transport Union (ST), which began at 00:00 on Friday and continues until 24:00 on Monday.
This is the first of five four-day strikes scheduled for the weekends until early September. In August, the strike periods are scheduled from the 8th to 11th, 15th to 18th, 22nd to 25th, and August 29th to September 1st.
Among the workers’ demands are the end of base salaries below the national minimum wage, payment for night hours, better wage conditions, and maintenance of access to the parking lot under the previous terms.
The Arbitration Court has ordered minimum services for the assistance of all flights related to critical safety situations, emergency, military, state flights, and TAP ‘night-stop’ flights on a European scale, as well as regular connections between Lisbon and the Azores and Madeira, and between Porto and the archipelagos.
