Researchers hold a demonstration in Aveiro against instability in the sector

About 50 researchers protested this Wednesday in Aveiro, where the Science Meeting 2023 is taking place in the presence of the Prime Minister, against the lack of response from the government regarding the streamlining of the links of these professionals.

The protest action, organized by the National Federation of Teachers (Fenprof) together with organizations and groups of researchers from all over the country, took place near the rectorate of the University of Aveiro (UA).

“More tenders, we can’t take it anymore. We want what other professionals want” or “Government is listening, science is fighting” – these are some of the slogans that sounded on the site.

The posters read: “We want perfection, treat us decently” or “Unreliability kills science.”

Speaking to Lusa, Fenprof’s Miguel Viegas explained that the purpose of this action is to announce that researchers who have had insecure connections for several years are integrating into a career.

“Many of them are hired on a project and when the project ends they don’t know what their future is. Many of them were hired for six years, which are coming to an end, and they cannot be doomed to another cycle of instability.” , the union leader said.

The protesters are demanding “mechanisms” to transfer funds to universities so they can integrate researchers into their careers and give them a “stable contract”.

According to Miguel Viegas, about 4,000 researchers across the country are in a difficult situation, which corresponds to about 90% of these specialists.

João Moreira of the National Union for Higher Education said that “there is no sector in the country with so many precarious workers”, adding that “these people have serious mental health problems because they live in constant uncertainty.”

“It is unreasonable that people do not have the opportunity to develop a life plan and that they can have the same expectations as any citizen of this country. Scientific research cannot continue to live outside the law of the country, outside the norm of the country. These people want to have lives, they have the right to life, so this problem needs to be solved quickly,” he concluded.

The 2023 Science Meeting, organized by the Foundation for Science and Technology in collaboration with Ciência Viva and the University of Aveiro, will take place for the first time outside of Lisbon from 5 to 7 July with the theme “Science. and the ocean beyond the horizon.

In addition to António Costa, the meeting, which brings together experts and researchers from various scientific fields, will also be attended by the Ministers of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Environment and Climate Change, Economy and the Sea, Agriculture and Food. closed by the President of the Republic.