A question directed at the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and National Defense by Francisco César highlights the strategic importance of Lajes Air Base, located on Terceira Island, both for Portugal and the United States. The base employs numerous Azoreans who, according to César, deserve full labor respect and protection.
The socialist deputy warns that the livelihoods of Azorean families, who have ensured the operation of Lajes with professionalism and dedication for decades, are at stake. “It is unacceptable for these workers to face delays in salary payments or lack of updates to their salary scales in line with the regional minimum wage in the Azores,” César asserts.
In his inquiry submitted to parliament, César seeks clarification from the Government regarding actions taken with U.S. authorities and guarantees that overdue salaries will be immediately rectified.
César also questions whether the Portuguese Government is willing to provisionally cover the outstanding wages to prevent severe harm to the affected families and what measures will be implemented to prevent such occurrences in the future.
For the regional leader of the Socialist Party, “The Portuguese State has a duty to ensure its citizens’ labor rights are fully respected and that no foreign entity, even if installed there, can disregard the basic obligations arising from Portuguese legislation.”
According to the Socialist Party, César also requested information on the expected date of the next Labor Commission meeting, which was scheduled for September, and on the scheduling of the next Bilateral Commission meeting, responsible for monitoring the Cooperation and Defense Agreement between Portugal and the United States.
On Wednesday, the Azores Government expressed “profound concern” over delayed payments to Portuguese workers at Lajes, labeling the situation as “unprecedented and unacceptable,” and urged the national government to intervene with the United States.
In a statement, the Azorean executive (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) revealed that the Regional Government’s Vice President, Artur Lima, sent a letter to the Foreign Minister, Paulo Rangel, regarding the labor situation affecting Portuguese civilian workers serving U.S. forces at Lajes Base on Terceira Island.
“In the same document, Artur Lima requests that the Government activate all available diplomatic channels to ensure contractual and salary obligations concerning the Portuguese civilian workers at Lajes Base are met,” it adds.
During the entirety of the government shutdown, over 2.3 million federal employees go unpaid, including those required to work, as do more than 1.3 million military personnel.
Portugal and the United States have a Bilateral Defense and Cooperation Agreement that allows the Americans to utilize military facilities at Lajes, staffed by Portuguese civilian personnel.
