Firefighters, Portugal, Norway

The SINTAP and STAL trade unions have called for a wide range of improvements to the pay and conditions of both public sector and voluntary firefighters. SINTAP members joined a lobby of the government on 1 February and set out their demands, including updating of various allowances covering risk, hardship and permanent availability; revision of the Staff Statute of Professional Firefighters of Local Administration; updating pay scales – (not done since 2002, with exception of the annual increases resulting from the State Budget); and revision of retirement age. Meanwhile, STAL has been making

Public service union, Fagforbundet, that represents firefighters is taking legal action to try to overturn a decision by the social insurance court that cancer doesn’t quality as an occupational disease. There was a long struggle by firefighters to get occupational injury compensation as a result of being more exposed to certain types of cancer more than other workers. This was achieved in 2016 and several workers have received this compensation. However, a new ruling reverses this decision. The union argues that there is no new knowledge or research to justify any changes. Several recent

The STAL and STML unions representing firefighters organised a protest in Lisbon on 16 April outside the Interior Ministry. The main concerns for the unions are about government proposals to reform the career structure for firefighters and to reduce retirement benefits. Other issues relate to payments for oncall time, 12-hour shifts and implementation of a pay structure that the two unions negotiated with the ministry. The unions have been frustrated by the government's reluctance to negotiate, delaying and then postponing a meeting due on 2 April.

A national demonstration by firefighters took place on 14 January as they continued their campaign against unilateral action by the government to change their employment conditions. This follows the strike that ran from 19 December to 2 January (see previous epsucob@NEWS). The unions involved argue that the proposed changes undermine career development in the fire service and retirement rights. They are particularly angry that the government has attempted to introduce the changes without any consultation or negotiation.

Firefighters, members of the STAL and STML trade unions, took strike action from 18 December to 2 January in protest at government plans to change the statutes covering their pay, retirement and other conditions. The unions not only reject the proposed changes but are angry that the government aimed to implement them without any consultation or negotiation with the unions. The unions have made a series of demands related to protecting basic pay and ensuring appropriate payments for on-call and overtime work as well as allowances for dangerous and arduous conditions. They are also seeking

The STAL and STML trade unions that represent firefighters organised a national protest in Lisbon on 3 December to challenge the government over changes to the statutes that regulate pay and conditions in the sector. The trade unions had already registered their anger with the government over its failure to negotiate with them. The government did agree to meet the unions but they rejected its proposals for change because they threatened to undermine firefighters' pay, pensions and career progression.

Public services union Fagforbundet has welcomed the news that the national Labour and Welfare Administration has recognised prostate cancer as an occupational disease affecting firefighters. The union says that firefighters and lawyers worked on the case for five years in order to convince the authorities to recognise the disease. The union is now calling on firefighters who have been diagnosed with the disease and exposed to fires and toxic substances to come forward for an assessment to see if they quality for compensation.