SEF Strike Cancellation Critical to Airport Security and Fluidity Guarantees MAI

The Minister of the Interior (MAI) considered this Friday that the cancellation of the SEF strike is “important” to ensure smoothness and safety at national airports and is the result of a “long and difficult” process that is “not yet completed.” .

In written statements to Lusa, Interior Minister José Luis Carneiro said that the cancellation of the strike by the Foreigners and Border Guards (SEF) inspectors is “important because it ensures that airport transit is handled with greater fluidity and comfort for passengers. “, as well as for “security checks” at national borders.

“This was the result of a lot of work in the government, as well as a deep dialogue with the representative structures of SEF workers. This long and difficult journey has not yet come to an end. Now we have a transitional period until October, so that the employees of the SEF and the powers of this institution are completely transferred to other organizations,” said José Luis Carneiro.

The Union of Inspectors for Investigations, Inspections and Border Services (SIIFF) reported this Friday that the strikes of SEF inspectors planned at the airports of Lisbon, Porto, Faro and Madeira have been canceled and strike notifications have been cancelled.

For the union, with the implementation of diplomas on the transfer of personnel and the creation of APMMA [Agência Portuguesa para as Minorias, Migrações e Asilo, entretanto renomeada para AIMA — Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo]which also sets the October 29 horizon for the transition, “the main principles that were provided in the strike notice” are empty.

It was about scheduled stops at the Humberto Delgado airport in Lisbon from 5:00 to 10:00 on the days from 27 to 29 May, from 3 to 5 June, from 10 to 12 June, from 17 to 19 June and from 1 June to 19 June. from 24 to 26.

At other airports and frontier posts, namely sea ones, the strike will take place on May 22 and 29 and June 5, 12, 19 and 26.

José Luis Carneiro stated that the government charter for the transfer of SEF workers to other organizations “has always been aimed at protecting the rights of workers, guaranteeing wage increases for all professionals and promotion to equivalent categories, among other important aspects.”

However, the SIIFF defended a different point of view this Friday.

“Regardless of [o diploma de extinção do SEF] once adopted, it is far from what we understood would be a defense of our rights. There are some issues that do not meet the requirements of protecting the same rights, namely issues of seniority and some discretion in the application of certain issues that are not common to all career categories,” SIIFF President Renato Mendonsa told Lusa.

According to the SIIFF, during the first strike between the 20th and 22nd of this month, adherence to the strike was between 90 and 100%.

On Wednesday, the President of the Republic unveiled government regulations, approved by the Council of Ministers on April 6, on the replacement of the FSS and the transitional regime for eligible workers, anticipating difficulties in the initial phase of the new agency.

In a note published on the official website of the President of the Republic on the Internet, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stated that he chose to publish these diplomas “despite the difficulties that the Agency will have to cope with – at this initial stage – the residence permit processes are currently suspended” .

The disappearance of the SEF will take place in October, according to a statement made this Thursday by MAI José Luis Carneiro, who assured that there will be a transitional period for the implementation of this reform.

As part of the liquidation of the SEF, administrative functions will be transferred to AIMA and the Institute of Registration and Notaries (IRN), while police powers will be transferred to the Public Security Police, the National Republican Guard and the Judicial Police.