Soflusa workers joined the strike this Thursday morning to hire and raise wages, about 50%, Carlos Costa of the Federation of Transport and Communications Trade Unions (Fectrans) told Lusa.
“The strike is carried out in separate categories. Today it has covered the seafarers sector, participation in it amounted to 50%. [sexta-feira] there will be administrative, commercial, land and auxiliary,” he said.
As for the Transtejo workers, the trade unionist said participation in a partial strike would be around 40%.
On Tuesday, Soflusa workers began a four-day strike cycle with breaks throughout the work period, while Transtejo workers began a partial strike cycle of three hours per shift on Monday, lasting through Friday.
According to Fectrans, the workers are demanding higher wages and measures to combat the degradation of the civil service due to a shortage of workers and an aging fleet.
Currently, according to the trade union structure, Transtejo already has new vessels (from the tender for electric ships), but due to the lack of batteries, they are laid up.
On the other hand, due to a shortage of workers, “they are resorting to huge overtime, with workers working 16 hours a day,” a union source said.
Since the beginning of the year, more than a thousand circulations have not been carried out.
Transtejo and Soflusa share the same administration and both provide river links between the south bank and Lisbon.
Transtejo is responsible for connecting Seixal, Montijo, Cacilhas and Trafaria/Porto Brandão in the Setubal district to Lisbon, while Soflusa handles the connection between Barreiro, also in the Setubal district, and Terreiro do Paso in Lisbon.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
