Several police officers and other security forces agents are protesting today at the country’s main airports to explain to tourists that “Portugal is a safe country” thanks to “the carolice of professionals and not the efforts of government officials”.
In Porto, at Sá Carneiro Airport, a group of about a dozen professionals started around 11:00 am to distribute leaflets with texts in six languages: Portuguese, Spanish, French, English, German and Italian.
The “fat” reads: “Let’s keep fighting for our dignity”. On the cover of the leaflet, next to an image of a piece of equipment with the Portuguese colors, it reads “Love for the jersey has a price”.
“The Portuguese already know the difficulties of the police and are, unfortunately, already used to seeing us in various protests, but foreigners who choose our country – because Portugal is effectively a safe country – are thus aware of what we go through”, explained to the Lusa agency, the secretary general of the Permanent Coordinating Committee of Unions and Associations of Professionals of the Security Forces and Services (CCP), César Nogueira.
The official summarizes the pamphlet and the explanations that are being given to tourists with the phrase: “Portugal is a safe destination not because of what the rulers provide us, but because of the effort, carolice and overload of schedules that we do every day to maintain safety levels”.
Organized by this platform that brings together professionals from the GNR, PSP, Maritime Police, SEF, ASAE and Prison Guard, this protest extends over three days and actions are scheduled for the airports of Porto, Lisbon, Faro, as well as at Gare do Oriente and Porto Marítimo de Lisboa.
On August 2, a gathering is planned near the official residence of the President of the Republic.
“These protests serve to let the tourists who come to our country and the people who come to World Youth Day know why we are demanding. The Government has not listened to the professionals”, criticized César Nogueira.
On the negotiating table are issues related to the updating and revision of the remuneration status and health subsystems.
“We are discounting 14 months, when we only enjoy 12 and the rate of 3.5% is, in our opinion, a very high percentage. In Porto and Lisbon colleagues are even served, but the rest of the country has few conventions,” said César Nogueira.
As for their pay status, they complain that it has not been reviewed since 2009, with the result that superiors earn less than their inferiors.
“This cannot happen in hierarchical institutions like ours,” he said.
The fact that the small increases that have been granted “do not keep up with the increase in the cost of living” because, they complain, “the salary is practically the same, but things cost twice as much” is another concern.
With the motto “We are Police. Somos Cidadãos”, the leaflet also states that the Portuguese security forces are “fed up with being ignored by the government”.
“We are tired of waiting!”, said César Nogueira, complaining about the “inconclusive” meetings the commission has already had with the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The CCP includes the APG/GNR, the Trade Union Association of Police Professionals (ASPP/PSP), the Socioprofessional Association of the Maritime Police (ASPPM), the National Union of the Prison Guard Corps (SNCGP) and the Trade Union Association of ASAE Employees (ASF-ASAE).
