The Sitese union has announced a strike scheduled for May 1st, International Workers’ Day, targeting employees in the commerce, offices, and services sectors, particularly in companies associated with the Portuguese Association of Distribution Companies. The strike is set to commence at 00:00 and conclude at 24:00.
This protest is motivated by a call for “dignified work” and the fight “against job insecurity, for salary increases, the defense of workers’ rights, and for the respect and full compliance with collective bargaining agreements.”
The strike notice from Fesaht covers all workers in agriculture, food industry, beverages, tobacco, forestry, hypermarkets, supermarkets, cleaning service companies and related sectors, hospitality, tourism, restaurants, cafes, confectionaries, tourist vessels, both public and private campsites, rural tourism establishments, tourist entertainment establishments, spas, casinos, gaming rooms, bingo halls, football clubs, canteens, and bars with concessions.
It also includes workers in highway services, main routes, catering services on rail transport, meal and bakery factories, pastry and confectionary services, aircraft suppliers, catering and private healthcare, private and cooperative education, philanthropic institutions, Social Solidarity Institutions, Inatel Foundation, Movijovem, Hotels and Tourism Business Association of Portugal, non-profit domiciliary care, services-providing companies, and other similar establishments.
The initiative aims to enable participation in demonstrations organized by the CGTP-IN to mark International Workers’ Day, demanding an overall salary and pension increase, the setting of maximum prices on essential goods, taxation of company profits, worker rights protection, housing rights, and protesting against rising living costs and exploitation.
The notice issued by Fesaht demands “15% salary increases, with a minimum of 150 euros per worker,” a special increase of the National Minimum Wage to 1,000 euros “with immediate effect,” a 50% increase for weekend work, and a 25% increase for work performed in split and shift schedules.
The union also calls for two consecutive weekly rest days for all workers, a special increase in all pensions to “restore purchasing power and ensure their value,” an increase in social support benefits, the repeal of “harmful labor legislation norms,” and the application of a tax on the colossal profits of large companies.
Unions affiliated with Fesaht also demand the reduction of the workweek to 35 hours without loss of pay, the rejection of adaptability, time banks, and concentrated schedules, the end of job insecurity “by immediately making all precarious workers in permanent roles official,” a guarantee of 25 working days of vacation without penalties, the unblocking of collective bargaining, and free, high-quality public services.
The strike announced for May 1st by the union covers “the periods before and after the normal working hours referred to in the main strike period whenever the beginning and end of the work do not coincide with the stated period.”
During the strike, minimum services established in collective labor agreements and essential meal services, particularly for geriatric care of bedridden patients, and minimum services in laundries, specifically the washing of clothes for urgent services, will be maintained.
