The National Union of the Penitentiary Guards Corps announced this Monday that the strike of the prison guards in the establishment attached to the headquarters of the Judicial Police (PJ) registers full affiliation.
Speaking to Lusa, the coordinator of the Lisbon union, Frederico Morais, said that the strike is having a “100% adherence to the strikeand warned that the strike of these professionals could extend beyond the 13 days of strike that were announced, having started this day to last until the end of the year: “We have a strike period until the 31st, but we already have a second notice from the January 1-31, and if management doesn’t do anything, we keep it indefinitely.”
For the union, the safety and working conditions of the prison guard who performs duties in these facilities are at stake, admitting that the strike can be lifted ”anytime“, if changes are made. However, he left harsh criticism of the director Fátima Côrte and her re-election for another three years by the General Directorate of Reinsertion and Penitentiary Services (DGRSP).
“There was a riot in October and the Prison Security and Intervention Group had to go to restore order. The riot was caused by a lack of food and the director ordered pizzas for selected prisoners the following week,” said the union coordinator for Lisbon and the autonomous regions.
He continued: “In October we called a strike due to the lack of organization and security in the prison. This one week strike resulted in nothing and we are fed up with risking the safety of the guards and the prisoners.”
Frederico Morais admitted that the strike is having “much impactin the prison attached to the PJ, noting that the strike also affects proceedings.
The trade unionist stated that the prison is currently experiencing an overcrowded situation, since “serves 116 people and has about 160“, clarifying that only 27 guards are assigned to that establishment.
Asked if there was any reaction from the DGRSP or the Ministry of Justice to this strike, the union leader denied any contact. “The DGRSP has so far appointed this director for another three years and this is the only comment we have. Since nothing is going to change, we have to use what we have at our disposal,” he observed.
“Our union delegate was called to be intimidated. Wherever this prison warden goes, there have been problems. It does nothing to change the system.”, he concluded.
Source: Observadora
