Workers of the Lisbon municipal mobility and parking company EMEL are calling for a replacement of the board of directors and allowing new strikes if a list of demands is not met, according to a proposal approved this Friday.
The proposal was approved at a plenary meeting of the Lisbon City Council, a day after the end of a three-day partial strike by EMEL workers, demanding higher wages and the fulfillment of commitments made in 2023.
Lisbon City Council President Carlos Moedas (PSD) went to the plenary session to talk to workers and ensure that negotiations with the board would need to be restarted, according to Orlando Gonçalves of the Trade, Office and Services Union of Portugal (CESP).
In the petition, EMEL workers claim that the current board of directors “does not enjoy the confidence of workers and demonstrates that it is incapable of remaining in office.”
In the document, workers also admit that they will move on to new forms of struggle if the discussion of the list of demands is not resumed.
The partial strike was called by the Union of Trade, Office and Service Workers of Portugal (CESP) and took place from Tuesday to Thursday, with strikes lasting two hours per shift.
According to the union, there was a “massive participation of workers” in the strike over three days, with several services closed.
The strike was called because workers at EMEL, a company 100% owned by the Lisbon City Council, want the administration to “fulfill the commitments made in 2023 that were not met.”
Apart from salary increases, the implementation of seniority payments is one of the issues that most concerns EMEL workers.
Lusa contacted the EMEL administration, but has not yet received a response.
In a note sent to Lusa on Monday, EMEL assured that it complies with the obligations made in the Company Agreement and its commitment to dialogue with workers.
“The Board of Directors remains committed to social dialogue with the structures representing workers, contributing to the sustainable and harmonious balance of the company, strengthening the labor rights of its employees, respecting the obligations assumed in the current company contract,” it says. in EMEL note.
EMEL employs approximately 700 employees.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Tifany Hawkins, a professional journalist with years of experience in news reporting. I currently work for a prominent news website and write articles for 24NewsReporters as an author. My primary focus is on economy-related stories, though I am also experienced in several other areas of journalism.