The CP train drivers’ strike resulted in the suppression of 104 out of 341 trains scheduled for this Saturday from 00:00 to 12:00, according to a balance sheet sent to Lusa by the transport company.
According to updated information, out of the planned 341 trains, 237 were completed and 104 (30.5%) were canceled.
CP – Comboios de Portugal indicates that out of 105 regional trains, only 51 have taken place, and 54 connections remain to be made.
In terms of urban areas, Lisbon planned 131, suppressed 19, and carried out 112; in urban areas in Porto, 71 were planned for this period, 56 carried out and 15 suppressed; in Coimbra city trains, 12 were planned, six completed and another six cancelled.
For long-distance trains, 22 are planned, 10 canceled and 12 implemented.
The strike was called by the National Union of Portuguese Railway Drivers (SMAQ) against the latest proposal for a €51 wage increase, representing an average career advancement of 3.89%, which the union structure considers “clearly unacceptable”.
As such, the workers went on “strike to do any work” from the categories presented by the SMAQ from the late hours of the 9th until the early hours of this Saturday, after which the overtime strike went into effect.
According to the union, from 00:00 this Saturday until 23:59 on the 17th, “a strike for the provision of work for all normal daily working periods, the expected duration of which exceeds seven hours and 30 minutes, for the machinist.” or technical engineer.
From 00:00 on the 11th to 23:59 on the 17th, they hold a “work strike for all normal hours of daily work that involve entering and/or leaving headquarters from 00:00 to 06:00.” , for train drivers or technical drivers”, and from 00:00 on the 14th to 23:59 on the 17th “a strike for all normal working periods, the expected duration of which exceeds six hours, for the traction inspector or head of the Traction Inspector Category.”
The arbitral tribunal ruled that the minimum services at the national level are about 30%, as well as the services necessary for the safety and maintenance of equipment and installations, as well as emergency services and rescue trains.
In February, strikes called by several Communist Party unions led to the suppression of hundreds of convoys a day.