The partial strike of SEF inspectors at the Lisbon airport this Sunday registered a membership of “over 90%” again, according to a union source, which only with “government guarantees” regarding the transfer of workers acknowledges the cancellation of the protest.
“It was exactly the same situation as yesterday [sábado]above 90%,” the president of the Union of Inspectors for Investigations, Inspections and Border Services (SIIFF) said in statements to Lusa just minutes after the end of the strike, which ran from 07:00 to 10:00.
According to Renato Mendonza, as happened on Saturday, the first day of the partial strike of the inspectors of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), “from 5:00 to 7:00 there was 100% [de adesão] and then, from 07:00 to 10:00, above 90%, which gives an average of clearly above 90%.”
Regarding the impact of the stoppage, the union leader said that “the scenario is exactly the same” as on Saturday and that “it is not even expected to change during the strike”.
“Counting people is always difficult, but the room [da zona internacional do aeroporto] it’s complete. The “boxes” are full, the first lines – both in the outputs and in the inputs – are filled and only now [com o fim da greve, às 10h00] back to normal,” he said, estimating the wait time to be around “two, three hours, at least.”
The partial strike called by the SIIFF will last until the end of June at various airports and border points in the country, with the future of SEF inspectors unclear after the government approved a decree-law on April 6 establishing a transitional regime for the SEF. workers after restructuring.
At the Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon, the stopover takes place from Sunday to Monday from 5:00 to 10:00, and is also scheduled for the same time from 27 to 29 May, from 3 to 5 June. , from 10 to 12 June, from 17 to 19 June and from 24 to 26 June (always on weekends and Mondays).
At the airports of Porto, Faro and Madeira, as well as other SEF staff offices, the strike is scheduled for 22 and 29 May, 5, 12, 19 and 26 June for 24 hours, because in these places “the impact in terms of restrictions is not so great” .
According to the President of the SIIFF, the Decree-Law establishing a transitional regime for SEF workers is under consideration by the President of the Republic, to be promulgated by Marcelo Rebelo de Souza, but the diploma is unknown.
Renato Mendonza says Interior Minister José Luis Carneiro “showed them a draft.” [rascunho]decree-law, but that it was “exactly the same letter of commencement of collective bargaining, that is, before its approval.”
“Therefore, we have no guarantees that it was the diploma that was presented to the President of the Republic for promulgation,” he said.
In addition, he stressed, “the reasons for the strike are related not only to this diploma”, but also “to the timing” of the transition of SEF workers after the abolition of this service: “Even more than a diploma, we want to have specific deadlines for an effective transition throughout this process,” he said.
According to the trade union leader, “the date of entry into force should be indicated in the diploma, but the minister could not give any guarantees regarding these terms of implementation”: “He says at the end of October, but there are still five months from here until October, that is to prolong this agony forever,” he said.
“Perhaps next week he will be able to guarantee us something, and then, of course, we will be open. [a suspender a greve]. But so far, given the development of this whole process, we have no reason to trust the government. One word is not enough,” he concluded.
In addition to the transfer of SEF workers, a diploma regarding the establishment of the Portuguese Agency for Minorities, Migration and Asylum (APMMA) will soon be made public, which will replace the SEF in administrative matters relating to foreign nationals and integrate the Higher Commission for Migration.
As part of this process, SEF inspectors will be transferred to the judicial police and non-police officers will be transferred to the future agency and the Registration and Notary Institute.
This restructuring also provides that SEF inspectors will continue to cooperate with the PSP and GNR at air and sea border posts for the first two years.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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