Administrative officers of the Foreigners and Border Guards Service (SEF) are starting a two-day strike this Wednesday after a meeting with the government on Monday ended without understanding.
“The meeting didn’t add anything we wanted. Namely, knowledge of the APMA diploma [futura Agência Portuguesa para as Migrações e Asilo]which was not delivered to us. (…) Nothing was guaranteed. We continue the strike. There was not even much openness on these issues,” Arthur Girao, president of the Union of Foreigners and Border Guards (SINSEF), told Lusa.
SINSEF expects “strong attendance restrictions”.
We are talking about the integration of SEF employees in the judicial police, in the Institute of Civil Registry and Notaries (IRN) and in the future APMA as part of the restructuring process of this body, with negotiations with the Government on a draft decree-law. which regulates the transfer of employees.
On Monday in Matosinhos, Porto, Interior Minister José Luis Carneiro told reporters that he hoped to reach an agreement with the administrators’ and inspectors’ unions of the SEF, who also gave advance notice of the strike between Thursday and next Monday.
Trade union structures oppose how the Government intends to transfer workers, considering the union of inspectors that the draft decree-law that will regulate the transfer of inspectors from SEF to PZh does not guarantee the principle of “equal work, equal wages.”
The SEF Research and Inspection Career Union (SCIF/SEF) strike coincides with the Easter period and could spark riots at airports.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the way the handover process is going, Artur Girao said that there will be a “little demonstration” outside the SEF facilities on Avenida Antonio Augusto de Aguiar in Lisbon this Wednesday at 10:00.
“The doors will be closed. We appreciate the very high commitment to this strike. The internal discontent is huge. We will hold a small picket,” he stressed, adding that there will be no minimum services.
SCIF/SEF President Acasio Pereira told Lusa that the decision to continue the strike would be made on Wednesday evening.
SEF inspectors and administrative staff have planned a six-day strike over the Easter period due to how the government intends to transfer workers to other bodies as part of the liquidation of the service.
As part of the SEF restructuring process, which was delayed until the creation of APMA, the inspectors of this security service will be transferred to the Judicial Police and non-police personnel to the future agency and IRN.
The restructuring of the SEF will allow inspectors to remain at air and sea border posts for up to two years, which will be taken over by the PSP and GNR.
At present, there are about 900 inspectors, and about 700 non-police officers.