Carris workers advance with partial strike between April 4 and 11

The union that did not sign the agreement with Carris on salary increases will go ahead with a partial strike and overtime, between April 4 and 11, a source from the representative structure of the workers told Lusa on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Carris announced an agreement with four unions, in which workers will have a salary increase of 70 euros, but the Union of Workers of Urban and Road Transport of Portugal (STRUP), linked to the Federation of Transport and Communications (Fectrans).

STRUP asked for a salary increase of about 100 euros, as well as a seven hour work day and resignation of the station employees, and, given the salary proposal presented by the management of the bus and tramway operator in Lisbon, a trade union meeting was held this Thursday to listen to the workers.

With around 200 employees gathered, “the workers decided to schedule a strike period in the first two hours and the last hours [no serviço de cada trabalhador] for a week”, explained Manuel Leal, from STRUP, to the Lusa news agency, adding that the strike extends to overtime.

The union leader indicated that the prior notice will be delivered this Thursday and that the strike could extend beyond the 11th.

This plenary included many workers who are not yet affiliated, but who are still making claims,” ​​said Manuel Leal, hoping to “mobilize” more workers, including the four unions that signed the agreement with Carris: the Transport Workers Union (SITRA ), the Carris Workers Union Association (ASPTC), the National Union of Drivers and Other Workers (SNMOT) and the Service Sector Workers Union (SITESE).

“Before all this process, we tried a process of dialogue with all the unionswho ended up signing the proposal”, he explained.

Regarding the salary increase of 100 euros, he added, after the last meeting, held in February, “the administration did not respond”, but “it promised to continue with the negotiation of the remaining clauses of the company contract”.

According to a STRUP press release, “The proposal of 70 euros presented by the administration is insufficient and doesn’t respond to what workers want and deserve,” plus wages don’t reflect Carris’s “productivity gains” or rising cost of living.

Carris is responsible for the surface urban public transport service for passengers in the city of Lisbon, being, since February 1, 2017, managed by the Lisbon City Council.