Airport security workers performing ICTS duties at Ponta Delgada airport in the Azores are on strike on Tuesday over non-compliance with a collective bargaining agreement over overtime pay, a union source said.
“What is at stake is the company’s non-compliance with the labor contract regarding the payment of overtime, working hours, weights, rest breaks and the payment of average night hours,” he explained to the agency Lusa Rui Tome of the Union of Concierge, Surveillance, Cleaning, Household and Other Services Workers ( STAD).
Security company workers working at Horta airport already went on strike on Monday.
In addition to the strikes on Monday and Tuesday at the airports on the islands of Faial and San Miguel, workers will go on strike for overtime from Wednesday to October 31.
According to the union leader, workers had planned to strike in August, but the strike was eventually suspended because ICTS guaranteed to “respond to demands by the end of that month.”
“ICTS is committed to paying the difference associated with labor credits. [trabalho extraordinário] until August 31, which did not happen,” with the company justifying this as a “computer error” and making the payment on September 11, STAD reports.
However, according to the union, although the company has paid some workers amounts owed for extra work carried out, there are still some who have “not received any amount”.
Moreover, “the workers who received it do not know whether the company has paid the entire debt because ICTS has not delivered payment receipts to the workers,” condemns STAD.
The union also claims that the adaptable working hours do not meet the criteria defined in the STAD collective bargaining agreement regarding “specific rules for airport surveillance.”
Rui Tome added that workers also complain about “constant changes in work schedules” and that they are not paid the average number of night hours in accordance with the provisions of the collective labor agreement.
Regarding joining the strike, the union leader admitted that “it was not as expected” because “the company put up a list with a large number of workers to ensure minimum services.”
“Frightened employees abandoned their intention to join the strike,” he added.
According to the trade unionist, there are “between 140 and 150 airport security workers” in the Azores, of whom “about 70 work at Ponta Delgada airport.”
Lusa tried to contact ICTS, but so far this has not been successful.