The strike by workers in canteens, cafeterias and concession bars, in protest against the proposal of the AHRESP association, caused the closure of most school canteens this Friday, also affecting companies and hospitals, according to union leaders.
Speaking to Lusa, the coordinator of the Northern Hotel, Tourism, Restaurant and Similar Industry Workers Union, Francisco Figueiredo, explained that the strike caused the closure of 41 of the 45 canteens in Porto’s primary schools. leaving about 5,100 of the 6,000 meals served daily to be served.
At the level of the northern region, adherence meant that around 80% of school canteens did not open, said the same union leader, referring to the high impact of the strike also at the hospital level and the record closure of canteens in factories and other . companies.
National Federation of Education announces national strike for June 6
In the center of the country, the strike also had an impact on several organizations with concessionary canteens, but with a more expressive participation in schools where it exceeded 50%, according to António Baião, vice president of the Board of Directors of the Union of Workers of the Industry of the Hospitality, Tourism, Restaurants and Similar Centers.
This union leader told Lusa that situations were also detected and denounced in which schools tried to transport meals from one canteen to another, which, he said, is equivalent to replacing striking workers.
Underlining the precariousness and low wages of these workers and the “lack of sensitivity” of the companies that have more concessions in canteens, António Baião pointed out the “hypocrisy” of these companies that, for the definition of minimum services, came to invoke the fact that many children have their only daily meal at school.
This day of strike was also marked by a concentration of workers in front of the delegation of the Associação da Hotelaria, Restauração e Similares de Portugal (AHRESP), and the workers approved a motion in which reiterate salary increases of 10% in the salary tablewith a minimum of 100 euros for each worker, the “creation of a five-day regime with a value of 25 euros per day” and the “updating of the food allowance during the holidays to 130 euros”.
Workers in canteens, cafeterias and concession bars on strike on Friday
The workers also demand the payment of “a bonus of 25% of the remuneration for workers who have shared hours and for workers who work shifts”, “work on weekends with an increase of 25%” and “a subsidy risk for workers in hospital canteens and prisons of 7% of salary”.
Source: Observadora
