Trade unions reported a high level of support for the national one-day strike in public administration and other public services on 26 October. The unions are determined to continue their campaign to end the pay freeze that various governments have imposed since 2009 and to unfreeze career progression. In the meantime, there has been further action in the health service, with workers in technical diagnostic and therapeutic services involved in a 24-hour strike on 29 October over the pay structure, pay increase, career development and working time.
High level of support for national strike
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High level of support for national strike
Unions say that there was a high-level of support for the national public sector strike on 8 November. EPSU affiliates STAL, SINTAP, STE and APIT were all involved in the action which was in protest at the latest round of cuts proposed in the Budget. Public sector workers earning over €600 a month are facing pay cuts while there will also be reductions in pensions as part of a €3.9 billion package of cuts. [Read more at > EPSU (EN)->http://www.epsu.org/a/9897] [And at > STAL (PT)->http://www.stal.pt/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1333&Itemid=1] [And at > SINTAP (PT)->www.sintap.pt]
High levels of support for doctors' strike
Unions report a high level of support - 70%-80% in some areas - for the strike by doctors and health managers on 12 December. The action involved many organisations in the sector including FP-CGIL, UIL-FPL and CISL Medici. The strike was called in support of negotiations to renew doctors' contracts after eight years without any bargaining. But the unions are also raising issues around precarious work and training for young doctors as well as the issue of funding. The unions are criticising the government for failing to increase health funding as a percentage of GDP.
High level of support for strike
Both the STAL and SINTAP trade unions report a very high level of support for the national public sector strike on 4 March. They estimate turnout at between 75% and 85% with all parts of the public sector affected. The strike was in protest at the government’s call for a public sector pay freeze and with a demand for a proper process of negotiation. Read more at > SINTAP (PT) Read more at > STAL (PT)