The strike, which began on May 26 and lasted for 12 days, was organized by the Sindicato das Indústrias, Energia, Serviços e Águas de Portugal (SIEAP), affecting the last two hours of each shift.
“We have a very positive assessment. This may be one of the largest strikes ever here at PSA,” stated Cláudio Santiago, the secretary-general of SIEAP, in comments to the agency Lusa.
The union leader said he did not have data to specify the exact worker participation but illustrated the impact: “Of 12 cranes, on average, one to two cranes were operational, which shows the massive adherence to this strike.”
This strike was marked by “a very important spirit” in seeking “solutions” for the workers’ demands, being “the last resort” found by the union to emphasize the need to “negotiate an agreement that values workers.”
The year “2024 was the best ever for this port, and what we see is a rollback in these workers’ rights. No one understands, the Portuguese do not understand how one can regress in these rights,” he stated.
In a statement sent today to Lusa, PSA Sines, the concessionaire of Terminal XXI at the Port of Sines, said it “vehemently rejects the accusations” made by the union.
“We vehemently reject the accusations that our company deceived the workers or refused to enter negotiations,” it read.
The SIEAP leader indicated that issues related to “working hours and the reconciliation of work life with family life” are at stake.
The union presented “a varied set of proposals,” but “the company says it can strictly do nothing,” he argued, citing the right to a birthday day off, which the administration says it “cannot accommodate.”
According to Cláudio Santiago, “the workers overwhelmingly voted against the change in working hours that was unilaterally imposed, breaking an agreement that existed since 2019.”
He criticized that “an agreement regarding career progression and integration, as well as salary appreciation for these workers, was not renegotiated,” adding that the issue of working hours “is central to the life” of the workers and “has no impact on the company.”
In the statement sent to Lusa, PSA Sines assured it has given “priority to transparency” in communications and remains open “to constructive dialogue, in an orderly manner without disruptions” with the workers.
The company clarified that, regarding salary increases and other compensations, every January, it updates the base salary according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) published by the Instituto Nacional de Estatística.
Salary increases are also applied, every April, based on previously agreed progression schemes, benefiting the workers “in the last three years” with “an average salary increase” that “significantly exceeds national trends,” it highlighted.
Despite guaranteeing the full compliance with legal requirements for implementing the shift rotation work schedule, PSA Sines acknowledged that, “compared to the winter period, there is a higher workload during the summer shift schedule.”
However, “the impact is limited to four months, of which three weeks correspond to the planned vacation period,” it stated.
“It is also important to note that the average working hours” during these periods “are in full compliance with the Company Agreement,” the statement read.
