The strike is taking place from midnight to 24:00 today, organized by the Union of Workers in the Manufacturing, Food, Beverages, and Similar Industries, Office, Commerce and Services, Hospitality and Tourism, Transport, and Other Services (SITACEHTT).
The union states that the strike aims to oppose changes to labor legislation proposed by the Republic’s Government, advocate for a 35-hour work week, and ensure the “dignity of workers in the sector of private social solidarity institutions in the Azores.”
Additionally, the SITACEHTT notes that the strike is a “response to the threat of non-payment of the Christmas subsidy” for social sector workers, a right deemed “fundamental for the financial stability of families, especially during the festive season.”
As part of the protest, the union will hold a gathering of workers from the Azorean private social solidarity institutions between 10:00 and 11:00 local time (one hour later in Lisbon) in front of the Regional Health and Social Solidarity Secretariat in the city of Angra do Heroísmo on Terceira Island.
The URIPSSA – Regional Union of Private Social Solidarity Institutions of the Azores and the URMA – Regional Union of Misericórdias of the Azores have recently indicated an “imminent risk” of non-payment of November salaries and the Christmas subsidy to workers.
The issue has been highlighted in recent weeks by unions and political parties in the region.
On Friday, the president of the URMA – Regional Union of Misericórdias of the Azores, Bento Barcelos, told the Lusa agency that the Christmas subsidy for the 2,550 workers of the 23 Misericórdias of the Azores will be paid by December 15.
Bento Barcelos stated that “there were never any concerns regarding the November salary difficulties” for the workers and that, concerning the Christmas subsidy, “few were the Misericórdias facing liquidity problems to make this payment.”
