The coordinator of the Common Front said this Friday that the civil servants’ strike is “one of the largest” in recent years, involving “all sectors”, expecting the day to be a “show of workers’ strength”.
“We are facing one of the largest strikes of public administration workers, central, regional and local, in several years,” Sebastián Santana told reporters at the Escola Basica e Secundária Passos Manuel in Lisbon.
Sebastian Santana stated that there is “adhesion [à greve] very strong throughout the country,” although he could not yet give specific figures, asserting that “the workers agree with the proposals of the Common Front.”
“We still do not agree that the government continues to invest many billions of euros in sectors that are already overfinanced by the state budget, and forgets who provides public services and strengthening the social functions of the state,” he stressed.
Asked if he believed that, given the support for the strike, the government would have to give in, the Common Front coordinator replied that the executive had “been intransigent” and said that despite having an absolute majority at the start, saying it would be a dialogue , “this dialogue did not take place effectively until this Friday.”
“The government has the conditions to change this. The workers’ struggle will be no less intransigent than the government’s if it wants to continue to keep workers in poverty and public services degraded,” he said.
The General Front of Civil Service Trade Unions (CGTP) announced on October 9 a national strike by workers this Friday, deeming the government’s proposed wage increase for 2024 “pathetic.”
Speaking to reporters, CGTP Secretary General Isabelle Camarinha said joining the strike shows that workers “are not giving up in the face of injustice, low wages and situations of impoverishment.” while working.”
“Workers understand that something needs to be done and are demanding that the government change its decisions,” he said, criticizing the proposed 2024 state budget, which he said would transfer “huge amounts of money” to “the same old people.” .
Asked if she thought this mobilization would force the government to capitulate, Camarinha said that “workers have always been able to achieve results through struggle.”
“The government and employers must ensure that they cannot cry crocodiles by saying they cannot hire workers and continue to pay low wages. (…) Stop shedding crocodile tears and act, do what you have to do.” ” he said. Defending a general increase of 15% of all salaries, a minimum of 150 euros.
The General Front of Civil Service Trade Unions (CGTP) announced a national workers’ strike on October 9, which is taking place today, deeming the government’s proposal for a wage increase for 2024 “pathetic.”
Next year, the minimum wage for public administration employees is planned to increase by 52 euros or 3%.
The common front demands a wage increase of at least 15%, a minimum of €150 per worker, to counter the “brutal rise in the cost of living”.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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