“I can say, generally, that participation was very good,” stated Manuel Oliveira, leader of the National Union of Drivers and Other Workers (SNMOT), without citing specific figures.
According to the union leader, participation was “tremendous” at the private company Siga Rodoeste, which employs about 80 professionals, while at the public company Horários do Funchal, with 350 drivers, “it’s very good and tends to get better.”
Manuel Oliveira did not provide data related to CAM—Companhia de Automóveis da Madeira, which has about 60 drivers.
Meanwhile, the Regional Secretariat for Equipment and Infrastructure, responsible for land transport, indicated that the strike at Horários do Funchal and Siga Rodoeste saw participation below 50%, whereas at CAM, the rate was “minimal.”
The secretariat further stated that, “at Horários do Funchal, on average, 63% of minimum services were maintained,” though there were “some delays.”
The SNMOT is demanding a “correction of salary updates” by at least 30.65 euros per month and the reopening of negotiations to reduce working hours to 35 hours per week.
Drivers marked the first day of strike with a gathering in the Praça do Município in Funchal this morning, attended by dozens of professionals.
“We are aware of the disruptions the strike is causing. I apologize to all users and ask for their understanding, but it cannot be only the union that is concerned about this,” said Manuel Oliveira, adding, “We regret that our interlocutors [company administration, ACIF—Funchal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Regional Government] do not share the same concern.”
Furthermore, Oliveira reported that the SNMOT sent a letter to ACIF stating they would call off the strike in the private sector if a meeting was scheduled this afternoon to “formalize the start of negotiations” according to the association’s proposals, namely a 5% increase in the salary table and a weekly work schedule of 35 hours by 2030, with the agreement to be officially recorded.
“ACIF simply said they were not available,” he explained, noting that in the case of the public company Horários do Funchal, the SNMOT “was not consulted” about the proposed 20-euro salary increase put forward by another sectoral union, the Union of Road and Metalworking Activities Workers of Madeira (STRAMM).
On Tuesday, the Regional Secretariat for Equipment and Infrastructure issued a statement that Horários do Funchal had reached an agreement with STRAMM for a 20-euro base salary increase, retroactively effective from January 1, 2025, covering both union and non-union workers.
“Regarding interurban operators (CAM and SIGA Rodoeste), the negotiation process is still underway, coordinated by ACIF, the entity responsible for negotiations with the representative unions of these companies’ workers,” the secretariat noted, emphasizing that the regional government and Horários do Funchal remain open to dialogue with all social partners.
In the same statement, the Government of Madeira called for public transport users’ understanding regarding the two-day strike, noting that minimum services were stipulated.
