The march under the slogan “public services are not merchandise” will commence at 11:00 from the Basílica da Estrela and end at the official residence of the prime minister in Lisbon.
The coordinator of Frente Comum emphasized in a statement to Lusa that this rally was convened due to the “absence of responses to the problems of public administration workers,” particularly regarding the demand “for an interim salary increase.” The event will include “hundreds of leaders, delegates, and union activists.”
“We do not even consider the possibility of only starting to discuss a salary revision in public administration for January of next year,” stated Sebastião Santana, noting that annual general salary negotiation is legally anticipated.
Frente Comum, affiliated with CGTP, is demanding a 15% salary increase for public administration workers, with a minimum of 150 euros for everyone.
Santana also mentioned that Frente Comum has resubmitted its common demands to the Government, expressing regret over the “lack of response” to “essential issues” such as “career advancement, strengthening public services, evaluation systems, and precariousness in public administration.”
When asked if a new agreement with the Government, accounting for the current legislature, is negotiable, given that the one signed in November—which the Frente Comum did not subscribe—only extends to 2028, Santana ensured that “Frente Comum has never had a principle of not signing agreements,” but “the issue is the content of the agreements.”
“If these are agreements of impoverishment like those signed with other unions, we will certainly not sign. If it’s an agreement that values the workers, we have no issue in signing,” he stated.
Besides the coordinator of Frente Comum, the presence of CGTP’s secretary-general, Tiago Oliveira, is anticipated, with a resolution to be presented at the end.
