The Lisbon Metro has announced the suspension of services and closure of all stations starting at 8:00 PM today due to a staff meeting scheduled by unions. This assembly is set from 9:15 PM to 2:30 AM on Friday and is described by the company as “unprecedented and unusual.”
In a statement, the company highlighted that the unions’ call to plenary “explicitly invites the participation of all workers, denying the necessity of ensuring urgent and essential services” amidst the city’s popular Santos celebrations.
The transport operator indicated that “minimum operational conditions and the essential safety conditions for maintaining network operations” are not in place due to the expected “exponential rise in demand” and “reported worker absences.”
Contacted for comments, Sara Gligó from the Federation of Transport and Communications Unions (Fectrans) asserted that the meeting would proceed as planned and rejected the company’s claims.
“This is neither an unprecedented nor unusual idea. We frequently hold meetings at night. Regarding the claim that there is no ongoing negotiation matter to warrant this situation, I remind you of a set of 14 issues which, if addressed, would have averted this plenary,” she stated.
The union representative recalled that in December, the union had called off a strike over overtime and special events due to an agreement that the company failed to fully honor.
“For months, we’ve been debating this disagreement with the company. Either they now lack the legitimacy to negotiate, or they believe the matter isn’t important. However, it is crucial for the workers. Agreements have remained unfulfilled since 2023,” she noted.
Sara Gligó mentioned that unions met with the company on Tuesday for three hours and again on Thursday, without any indication of progress towards resolving the negotiation stalemate.
“Hence, we will go ahead with the plenary, but we are always open to negotiation,” she added.
In its Wednesday statement, Lisbon Metro asserted its “continuous commitment to resolving the issues at the heart of the ongoing negotiations” and reiterated its “dedication to maintaining transparent, open, and institutionally responsible dialogue with all worker representative structures.”
The company expressed regret over “the inconvenience this situation will cause to people who opt for public transportation to celebrate the city’s festivities with peace and safety.”
Furthermore, the company stated that updates on the service for today and Friday would be continuously provided through its communication channels.
In May, the company experienced a strike concerning overtime and special events, which Lisbon Metro reported did not impact regular transportation services.
At the announcement time, Sara Gligó indicated that compliance with the company agreement was at issue: “The agreement made with us at the end of December to lift a similar strike concerning outstanding payments owed to workers, namely variable pay elements [overtime and holidays].”
Workers are also advocating for an increase in lunch subsidies and reducing working hours to 35 hours a week.
Today marks the city of Lisbon’s primary festive night, with street parties and central marches, coinciding with a 24-hour strike by Carris, the municipal public road transport provider. Minimal services are scheduled for around ten routes.
Lisbon Metro operates four lines daily: Yellow (Rato-Odivelas), Green (Telheiras-Cais do Sodré), Blue (Reboleira-Santa Apolónia), and Red (Airport-São Sebastião).
Typically, the metro runs from 6:30 AM to 1:00 AM.
