Rail strikes suspended – The Portugal News

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing said in a statement that the National Union of Portuguese Railway Workers (SMAQ) has now officially announced the suspension of the strike, which began on Thursday and was due to last until July 14.

The negotiations between CP – Comboios de Portugal and SMAQ, mediated by the Secretary of State for Mobility, Cristina Pinto Dias, made it possible to “reach an agreement on several labour issues, namely wage and meal increases that benefit all the company’s workers”.

CP stressed in a statement that the parties had reached “an agreement regarding career arrangements” and stressed that SMAQ was committed to ending the strike with immediate effect.

“The agreement now reached is extendable to all professional groups at CP and ensures that all areas of the company benefit from the agreed improvements. We would like to thank SMAQ for the dialogue and understanding shown during the negotiations. Cooperation and willingness to dialogue were fundamental to reaching this consensus, which promotes the well-being of workers and the efficiency of CP,” the company also stressed.

The Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, also welcomed “the agreement reached and the lifting of the strike announced by the SMAQ,” his ministry said in a statement.

Miguel Pinto Luz also reiterated his commitment to continue the dialogue with the unions in the sector.

The strike by CP – Comboios de Portugal workers resulted in the cancellation of 934 of the 1,247 scheduled trains (74.9%) between midnight and 10 p.m. today, according to data provided by the company to Lusa.

The minimum services required the operation of 318 trains, of which 313 actually operated.

The general secretary of the Federation of Transport and Communications Trade Unions (Fectrans), José Manuel Oliveira, stressed to the Lusa agency that the strike had “paralysed the company in practically all areas of activity”.

José Manuel Oliveira had already explained that the issue was low starting salaries, “very close to the national minimum wage”, as well as a smaller difference between the starting salary and the top of the career ladder for CP employees, which is around 100 euros. As a result, he stressed, the company has fewer and fewer employees, even though the number of passengers and profits have increased.

Customers holding tickets for travel on Alfa Pendular, intercity, international and interregional trains can request a full refund or exchange.

Refunds are possible on CP’s digital platforms up to 15 minutes before the train’s departure at the customer’s home station or at the ticket counters.