Metro Workers South Transport on strike today and Wednesday

Othe workers of Metro Transporto do Sul will be in “total strike” today and Wednesday, claiming a salary update that “takes into account the loss of purchasing power” and better working conditions, according to the union of drivers.

The halt, called by the National Union of Maquinists of the Portuguese Railways, will have different modalities between today and October 27.

Thus, for today and Wednesday a “total strike” is planned, and from Thursday until October 27th, the stoppage will be to the “two last hours of work periods started in these days”, according to the union.

“ In situations where the start of the strike coincides with an ongoing circulation, the stoppage will start at the station of origin of this circulation, avoiding the interruption of the service in intermediate places ", also indicated the union in a statement.

In a notice published on the website, Metro Transport do Sul (MTS) has already warned of the possibility of disturbances in circulation.

Also according to the company, within the minimum services decreed by day 27 will be ensured the movement on line 3 (Cacillas/University) between 07:00 and 09:00 and between 17:00 and 19:00.

Customers who usually use line 2 (Corroios/Pragal) should tranship at the “Bento Gonçalves” stop in order to continue their journey through lines 1 and 3.

In a note sent to Lusa, the board of directors of the company, which serves the municipalities of Almada and Seixal, in the district of Setúbal, considered the strike “unproportional in a permanent opening framework and in a context of full availability for dialogue and implementation of effective improvements that have been guaranteed in the working conditions of MTS workers, in particular the Driving Operators”.

On the other hand, the National Union of Maquinists of the Portuguese Railways said that the strike was called after the absence of concrete results in the negotiations for a new Business Agreement, and the decision was taken by the workers gathered in plenary “after about two and a half years of negotiations without it having been possible to reach an understanding that meets their demands”.

According to the trade union structure, “there is a need to improve working conditions, to ensure a wage update that takes account of the loss of purchasing power and to ensure that matters relating to the organization of work are the subject of collective bargaining rather than unilateral decisions of the company”.