The general secretary of the PCP defended this Wednesday that it is a “national emergency” to raise wages and urged the workers to a “fair fight” at a time when, he said, there are economic groups with “million-dollar profits.”
Accompanied by the members of the Political Commission of the Central Committee of the PCP Ricardo Costa and Fernanda Mateus, Paulo Raimundo joined the dozens of workers from the Dan Cake factory, in Póvoa de Santa Iria, who are completing their second day of strike in less than one month, claiming an increase in the minimum wage in the company to 850 euros.
After speaking with various workers, some with carnations on their lapels, the PCP general secretary addressed them to defend that their struggle “is fair.”
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For Paulo Raimundo, it is “a shame” that there are workers who demand increases of up to 850 euros at a time when there are economic groups “that earn millions of euros a day.”
Paulo Raimundo acknowledged that inflation translates into increases in the price of flour, sugar or butter -essential for the production of Dan Cake-, but stressed that it also has a great impact on the population’s accounts, asking for respect from Workers.
“Certainly we are going to have warehouses here, but if you add flour, butter, sugar, even if they are very close together, try it after three days, four, five, six, if any biscuits come out, any cakes, if any. something from there… No, you can only get something from there with work, effort and dedication”, she said, provoking the applause of the company workers, mostly women.
The communist leader stressed that it is necessary that “there be respect” and recognition of the work of Dan Cake employeeswhich should translate into wages, “because that’s what pays the bills.”
In statements to journalists, Paulo Raimundo then stressed that the fight taking place at Dan Cake is a “more general fight”, which concerns “all workers”, considering a “national emergency” that raises wages.
“Economic groups in Portugal earn 11 million euros a day, and these people are demanding 850 euros of minimum wage… give these people rights,” he said.
In statements to the Lusa news agency, the Dan Cake union leader in Póvoa de Santa Iria, Etelvina Monteiro, stressed that this Wednesday’s strike is already the second in the span of a month -the first took place on February 9- and the workers of the company intend to “continue until they win the fight”.
Etelvina Monteiro, who works in the water and salty biscuit packaging machines, said she has been employed by the company for 32 years and only earns 770 euros a month. [o valor do Salário Mínimo Nacional para 2023 é de 760 euros]Regretting that the company does not want to give increases.
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“The company says that everything is very expensive, but only for the company. I have been working here for 32 years, the company has never shown us any profit, [só] show losses. And in our house we have to govern with what we have, ”he lamented.
On International Women’s Day, the workers of Dan Cake -a company made up mostly of women- decided to call a new strike, considering that this date is “one more reason” to claim rights.
Paulo Raimundo also considered that the strike carried out on International Women’s Day “happened well”, because it is a “decided way to commemorate the day” and to demonstrate that “there is only equality if there are rights at work”.
Source: Observadora
