Sintap and Sinafe unions announced a 24-hour strike at Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) on April 6, according to the statement, pointing to the “silence” of the company and government in negotiations with workers.
A note published this Wednesday by Sintap, the Union of Workers in Public Administration and Organizations with Public Purposes, and Sinafe, the National Union of Movement Workers and Associated Railway Workers, said that “after the day of struggle of February 28 and March 2, the workers hoped that the Infraestruturas de Portugal and the ministers responsible for it will find time in their schedule to [os] receive”.
However, after almost a month, despite “several attempts initiated by Sinafe and Sintap”, there has been no response, and the problems affecting workers not only remain, but are growing.
“The strike took place under extremely adverse conditions,” they recalled, noting that there were “heavy road and rail restrictions.”
“Time is ticking and the increase attributed to the company is not enough to keep up with rising costs of living,” they lamented, ensuring that “this ‘fiat increase’ does not cover half of the inflation confirmed last year.”
Sinafe and Sintap ensured that they “keep the door open for negotiations, given that there are still conditions for decent wage increases that increase the purchasing power of workers.”
However, “they also know that the silence of the company and guardianship obliges the workers to return to strike and thus the next April 6th “they will return” to stop the PI for 24 hours,” they assured.
Unions are demanding higher wages and purchasing power, renewed collective bargaining, “non-discrimination against workers” and more hiring.