The Federation of Agriculture, Food, Beverages, Hospitality, and Tourism Unions of Portugal (FESAHT), affiliated with CGTP, announced concerns regarding the absence of a wage agreement affecting thousands of workers in 2025, leaving many to earn the minimum national wage or amounts close to it, even for those with over 30 years of service in five-star hotels. This situation stands in stark contrast to the sector’s thriving revenues from accommodations and restaurant services.
The federation criticized what it described as a misleading campaign by AHRESP, claiming that the work regulation modernization in the sector amounted to nothing more than agreement revisions with UGT aimed solely at reducing rights and changing job category names to promote greater versatility for insufficient wages.
FESAHT further described as “unacceptable” AHRESP’s repeated postponements of scheduled meetings intended for the revision of collective labor agreements (CCT) for hotels and restaurants.
The federation expressed clarity that AHRESP’s “only objective” was to evade negotiation.
“We cannot accept the sector continuing to thrive on low wages and precarious, weak working conditions,” the federation added, calling it “outrageous that one of the fastest-growing sectors in our country, which substantially contributes to the national GDP, and is showcased internationally, remains an industry producing vast profits for employers yet pays peanuts to workers.”
In the same communication, FESAHT noted that it is assessing the situation and will decide with the workers how to address this “regrettable, unjust, and unsustainable” scenario.
The news agency Lusa has contacted AHRESP for a response to these criticisms and is awaiting a reply.
