CP accused unions that called for strikes this Monday and Wednesday of “harming their members” by failing to reach an agreement, according to a statement released by the rail carrier.
“This morning, some union leaders associated with the unions calling for today’s strike made statements to the press that are not true,” the carrier began its statement, assuring that its Board of Directors “has always been willing to meet, listen and negotiate with unions.”
According to management, the last of these meetings took place “last Saturday afternoon, with the aim of reaching an agreement regarding the revision of the company’s Career Regulations,” and, according to the company, at these meetings “the CP Board of Directors presented to the aforementioned unions the same negotiating terms that had been agreed upon with the train drivers (SMAQ) and inspectors (SFRCI) unions.”
CP recalled that “these conditions include, in particular, a 1.5% wage increase and an increase in the food allowance to 9.20 euros per day, both of which will come into force on 1 August.”
“It is important to stress that this increase is in addition to the wage increase that the company already paid to all workers at the beginning of the year following negotiations with trade unions,” he assured.
The CP Board of Directors later stated that it “does not accept the accusation that the proposal subsequently forwarded and agreed upon with the above-mentioned unions was different from that previously agreed upon at the above-mentioned meeting,” regretting that each time “it tries to satisfy any of the demands of these unions in order to achieve the cancellation of the strike, these unions put forward a new demand for salaries.”
“CP treats all workers fairly and equally and therefore does not accept negotiations on different wage conditions for its workers,” he said, stressing that “by refusing to reach an agreement and sign the Career Rules Agreement, these unions are harming their members by preventing them from receiving the aforementioned 1.5% increase and the increase in meal allowance to 9.20 euros, like other company workers.”
“We appeal to the common sense of the unions by reaffirming that CP remains willing to negotiate and meet union demands as long as they do not jeopardize the sustainability of the company and the jobs of the remaining workers,” he concluded.
CP workers are on strike today and will strike again on Wednesday at the initiative of several unions.
The arbitration court set a minimum service fee of 20% for urban and regional trains.
It is “unacceptable” for the trade unions that the Communist Party administration, which has guaranteed that the agreement concluded with the trade union organization will be extended to all workers, wants to make this a condition for the adoption of the proposed career regulations.
The government, the Communist Party and the National Union of Portuguese Railway Engineers (SMAQ), which had been on strike from June 27 to July 14 and has since been suspended, recently reached an agreement. The operator also reached an agreement with the Union of Mobile Commercial Railways (SFRCI).
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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