Allies of operational assistants from former army production units are experiencing delays exceeding two and a half years in receiving salary progression payments, as mandated by two decrees passed in 2022 and 2023, concerning salary increases and career acceleration for public sector workers.
During a protest held near the Army General Headquarters in Lisbon, participants unanimously approved a resolution to be delivered to the Army Chief of Staff, reiterating the demand for the immediate implementation of these financial enhancements and retroactive payments.
Following a meeting to present their demands to the Army General Headquarters, Alexandre Plácido, coordinator of the Union of Civil Workers of the Armed Forces, Production Units, and Defense Companies (STEFFAs), stated that the union was informed that out of an initial review of 480 workers, 109 have had their cases resolved, 46 are under review, and 23 are expected to be processed within the week.
Of the remaining workers, 217 do not meet the necessary conditions to be covered by these measures, and 150 have unresolved status due to the Army’s challenges in verifying worker seniority caused by scattered documentation like employment contracts after the dissolution of the army’s production units.
“There was significant scattering of documentation, and they admit difficulties in managing the Army’s archives and consulting employee contracts. They also cite challenges in human resource availability due to the volume of cases needing individual assessment,” he stated.
Alexandre Plácido remarked that such explanations might have been valid at one time, but now they no longer justify the lack of resolution for these workers’ situations. He suggested verifying employees’ contributions to the Caixa Geral de Aposentações (CGA) to assess their service time, as only public entities can contribute to this system.
The proposal was reportedly well-received by Army leaders, explained the union coordinator, who regretted that this solution didn’t arise sooner. He expressed hope for progress in the coming weeks to prevent further union actions, such as a strike.
Former PCP deputy António Filipe was present and promised to bring the issue to the communist parliamentary group to question the government about these workers’ situation.
Tiago Oliveira, CGTP’s secretary-general, also attended, demanding action from Defense Minister Nuno Melo, emphasizing the necessity of the salary increase to cope with the sharply rising cost of living.
