“Colleagues have already begun to adhere. The committee has been informed that in the morning, there were already some bookings and in the afternoon as well. The indication given to colleagues is that the money will take two to three days to be deposited in the account,” stated Paula Terra, president of CRT, in a statement.
Portuguese workers at Lajes Base, on Terceira Island in the Azores, serving USFORAZORES, are facing two weeks and four days of unpaid wages due to the partial shutdown of the US administration, as the US federal budget has not been approved.
Today was supposed to be payday, but just like on October 27, the amount for the fortnight was not transferred.
“The indication we have from the American command is that until a budget is approved, there are no funds to pay the civilian workers,” explained Paula Terra.
Out of approximately 430 workers at Lajes Base, 363 have delayed salaries.
The Regional Government of the Azores decided to advance the outstanding salaries through the Azores Social Security Institute (ISSA), which was authorized to access banking resources up to a limit of 1.2 million euros.
The workers will have 10 working days after receiving their payment from the American administration to return the advance amount provided by Social Security.
The costs associated with the banking operation will be covered by the Government of the Republic.
Requests for advances could begin today at Social Security counters in Angra do Heroísmo or Praia da Vitória.
Participation is voluntary and the workers’ committee has not yet determined how many have utilized this mechanism.
“It’s a relief for the workers and their families, this solution provided by the Regional Government,” emphasized Paula Terra.
According to the CRT president, at present, “workers can request an advance of a fortnight,” but “if they haven’t received their salary by the 24th, they can once again request the amount of a second fortnight’s wage.”
Following a record 40-day shutdown of the US administration, the United States Senate reached an agreement to extend the budget until January 30, but the bill still requires voting in both the Senate and the lower house.
“We are not sure if these funds will cover the payment of our salaries, and even if they do until January 30, from that day onward, as far as we have read, the shutdown continues to be in effect,” noted Paula Terra.
The CRT president reiterated the need for the Government of the Republic, a signatory of the Cooperation and Defense Agreement between Portugal and the United States, to prevent similar situations in the future.
“The Government of the Republic still has time to arrange measures, not only in case the shutdown resumes from January 31, but also in October 2026, this situation might arise again and so on,” she emphasized.
“It is urgent to find a protective measure for the workers because it is an unsustainable situation, and we do not know if the Regional Government will be able to advance such a measure whenever the US Government does not have an approved budget,” she added.
