A call was made around Easter, with a deadline until December 31 of this year, demanding the appreciation for work performed on holidays and overtime, which workers consider inadequately paid.
Contacted by news agency Lusa, Orlando Almeida, leader of FNSTFPS, indicated that “so far there has been no response from the authorities,” the former Ministry of Culture – now the Ministry of Youth and Sports -, to the demands of these workers.
“Previous holidays saw strong adherence to the strike, and many of the most important cultural facilities had to close,” said Orlando Almeida, adding that the unions will renew the request for a meeting with the new Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Margarida Balseiro Lopes.
In April, the union leader had informed Lusa that the federation had met in March with the former Minister of Culture, Dalila Rodrigues, and the administration of Museums and Monuments of Portugal: “There was no willingness to negotiate, not even a proposal” from the authorities.
“There was absolutely nothing. We are open to negotiation, but with something concrete,” he added at the time.
According to Orlando Almeida, museum, monument, and archaeological site workers under public authority receive about 15 to 20 euros on holidays, which represents “half of a normal day,” and are only paid for up to two hours of overtime, even though they sometimes have to work more than that.
“This problem has been dragging on for years, without successive governments taking a decision to value the work done on holidays in museums, monuments, and classified sites,” criticized the federation in a statement.
Across the 38 national museums, monuments, and palaces managed by Museums and Monuments of Portugal, including the National Palace of Mafra, Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower in Lisbon, and the Convent of Christ in Tomar, approximately a thousand employees currently work, estimated Orlando Almeida.
Lusa approached Museums and Monuments of Portugal via email about the strike and the possibility of opening negotiations with workers earlier this week, with the entity responding through the communications department: “At this stage, we have no additional comments to make.”
In 2023, the 38 facilities of Museums and Monuments of Portugal received over five million visitors.
