The arbitration court decreed minimum services for the strike in CP, called by the Union of the Itinerant Railway Commercial Magazine (SFRCI), between Thursday and November 3, especially for October 31, the day on which the strike is total .
According to the ruling, published on the website of the Economic and Social Council (ESC), Minimum services were established for train circulation on October 31in which the strike lasts 24 hours, and for the remaining days, in which the strike is partial, the court determined only those necessary for security, maintenance, emergency services and the like.
Thus, on October 31 – when more riots are expected -, The ruling defines that with the exception of long-distance trains, all trains will run on the urban lines of Lisbon and Portoregional and interregional, between 6:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., “in the exact terms provided before the presentation of the notice.”
CP – Comboios de Portugal, in a note published on its website and updated this Wednesday, warns that, “due to a strike called by the SFRCI union between October 24 and November 3, 2024” Interruptions in operations are expected.
On October 24 and 25, when the strike is partial, the operator warned of the impact on the Lisbon Urban Lines, with special impact on the Sintra, Azambuja and Sado Lines.
On October 28, 29 and 30, also a partial strike, CP expects interruptions in the Regional/Interregional, Urban Coimbra and Urban Porto services.
On October 31, when there will be a total closure for 24 hours, impacts are expected in Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, Regional/Interregional, Urbanos and Internacional Celta.
The company stated that “minimum services have been defined for the Urban services of Lisbon and Porto and Regional and Interregional services, which will be announced in due course.”
“On the remaining days there may be occasional interruptions”, specifically in Lisbon urban and intercity services between the Algarve and Lisbon.
Contacted by Lusa on October 18, the union confirmed the strike, indicating that the strikes will be partial, lasting two hours at the beginning of each shift, and on October 31 the strike will last 24 hours.
According to a source at SFRCI, which represents CP box office workers and critics, andThese strikes are motivated by what is said to be a “non-compliance with the agreement.” which signed in July of last year with the operator.
The protest “has to do with remuneration,” and, according to the union, the agreement provides for a “transportation and availability subsidy bonus on the base salary”, something that would bring advantages to workers. The union wants a greater balance in terms of salaries for machinists.
“The agreement was signed in the past, it was validated by last year’s supervision, it is in this year’s State Budget,” he assured, indicating that “the company has the money, but it does not implement the agreement,” planned from from December 1st. 2023.
“It is the first time that it has happened to us that the agreements signed with the administrations are not fulfilled“, he criticized, regretting that they had to return “to a labor conflict that has already happened.”
Last year, CP was affected by several strikes called by the company’s unions, a situation that was resolved with an agreement signed with the structures.
In the notice published by CP, the operator points out that customers who already have tickets purchased to travel on the trains of the Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, International, Interregional and Regional services “will be allowed a refund for the total value of the ticket.” acquired, or its free change to another train of the same category and of the same class.”
This procedure can be carried out on the carrier’s website or at the ticket offices.
“After this period, and up to 10 days after the end of the strike, a refund can be requested by filling out the online contact form “Refund for Delay or Suppression” and sending a scan of the original ticket,” he added.
Source: Observadora
