The CP — Comboios strike in Portugal, called by the machinists’ union and which lasted until July 14, was suspended following an agreement for a salary increase that benefits all the company’s workers, the Government announced this Friday.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing indicated, in a statement, that the National Union of Portuguese Railway Machinists (SMAQ) formally announced the suspension of the strike that began on Thursday and lasted until July 14.
Negotiations between CP – Comboios de Portugal and SMAQ, mediated by the Secretary of State for Mobility, Cristina Pinto Dias, allowed “to reach an agreement on several labour issues, namely salary increases and food subsidybenefiting all the company’s workers.”
CP highlighted, in a statement, that the parties reached “a agreement on race regulations“, highlighting that SMAQ has committed to ending the strike with immediate effect.
“The agreement reached is now applicable to all professional categories at CP, ensuring that all areas of the company benefit from the agreed improvements. We would like to express our gratitude to SMAQ for the dialogue and understanding shown throughout the negotiations. Cooperation and openness to dialogue were essential to reaching this consensus, which promotes the well-being of workers and the efficiency of CP,” the company stressed.
The Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, also welcomed “the understanding reached and the lifting of the strike announced by the SMAQ,” according to the statement from his ministry.
Miguel Pinto Luz also reiterated “his position of continuity for dialogue with the unions in the sector.”
Government guarantees dialogue with railway workers to avoid strikes like the one this Friday in CP
The strike of CP — Comboios workers in Portugal this Friday caused the cancellation of 934 trains of the 1,247 scheduled (74.9%) between 00:00 and 22:00, according to data sent to Lusa by the company .
The minimum services provided for the circulation of 318 trains, of which 313 were running.
The general secretary of the Federation of Transport and Communications Unions (Fectrans), José Manuel Oliveira, highlighted this Friday night to the Lusa agency that the strike “practically paralyzed the company in all sectors of activity.”
CP workers’ support for the strike is “practically total”
José Manuel Oliveira had already said this Friday that what is at stake is the low entry-level salaries,”very close to the national minimum wage“, as well as a reduced difference between the base and the top of the professional career for CP workers, which is around 100 euros.
As a result, he said, the company has fewer and fewer employees, even though passenger numbers and profits have increased.
On Thursday, CP had warned that traffic disruptions were expected, especially until Saturday.
Customers with tickets to travel on Alfa Pendular, intercity, international and interregional trains can request a full refund or exchange.
Refunds can be made on CP’s digital platforms, up to 15 minutes before the train leaves the customer’s station of origin, or at the ticket offices.
Source: Observadora
