The railway workers’ strike this Monday caused the suspension of 299 trains out of 413 scheduled (72.4%) from 00:00 to 10:00, according to CP – Comboios de Portugal, sent to Luso.
According to the company, the suppression rate on long-distance trains is 100%, meaning that none of the 25 planned ones took place.
As for regional trains, out of 104 scheduled trains, 75 were cancelled and 29 were sent.
On Lisbon’s urban trains, 188 services were cancelled, while on Porto’s urban trains, 53 out of 85 scheduled services were cancelled.
On Monday morning, Lusa was contacted by the coordinator of the Federation of Transport and Communications Trade Unions (Fectrans), José Manuel Oliveira, who informed Lusa that at 7:30 a.m., workers had actively supported the strike, with only minimal services being performed.
“The first assessment is very positive. We have a strong turnout from 00:00 to 07:30, with interruptions in traffic. The ticket offices at the stations are closed,” he said.
According to José Manuel Oliveira, expectations for the rest of the day are high, as there are services with different schedules. CP workers are on strike today, and will be on 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.
The Arbitration Court’s decision applies, in the above-mentioned percentage, to the regional and interregional lines (Minho, Douro, East, West, Beira Baixa and Northern lines – in the latter case to Coimbra/Entroncamento and back) and the urban line (Azambuja, Coimbra and Guimarães lines).
“For customers who already have purchased tickets for travel on Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, international, interregional and regional trains, CP will allow a refund of the total cost of the purchased ticket or its free exchange for another train on the same route of the same category and class,” CP said in a statement.
These workers were already on strike on June 28.
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 Commercial Railroads (SFRCI) on a career review, including a 1.5% pay rise and an increase in food allowance to €9.20.
Fectrans said the proposal “increases the versatility of functions and does not take into account salary scales”, which it said was a “strategic measure” to recruit new workers and retain current ones.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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