Remunicipalisation, Collective Bargaining, Central government, Portugal

Both the SINTAP and STAL unions have expressed discontent with the pay increase on offer for public service workers in 2024. The overall wage bill will rise by over 5% with increases ranging from 3% to over 6% depending on position in the pay scale. The two unions argue that this level of increase will not compensate for the recent loss of purchasing power because of higher inflation. STAL estimates a 5.1% fall in real terms in 2022-23 alone. SINTAP has called for a re-opening of negotiations while STAL has called a national strike for 27 October. The strike, also supported by the Frente Comum

Trade unions, including STAL and SINTAP, are calling on the government to make further changes to proposals on pay and career development for public sector IT workers. In response to earlier union demands the government make some improvements to elements of pay, particularly for IT workers coordinating projects. However, the unions say that these don’t go far enough nor is there adequate provision for IT workers to protect their pay when faced with career change. The unions underline that improvements are essential if the public sector is to recruit and retain IT staff and reduce the need for

Nurses in Portugal have been involved in strike action in both private and public sectors. The SEP trade union organised a one-day strike on 16 March over pay, hours and other conditions in the private sector and it joined a larger strike across public services on 17 March with similar demands and involving other public service trade unions, including STAL.

The SEP nurses’ union has called for a day of strike action on 16 March in the private hospitals that are part of the APHP employers’ organisation. The main demands include a 35-hour week for all, a pay increase of 10% and similar increases on allowances, 25 days’ paid leave a year, improved unsocial hours payments and a higher meal allowance. Public sector unions in the Frente Comum are also continuing their campaign for better pay with a strike in public administration on 17 March and national demonstration on the 18th.

The SINTAP public service union has signed an agreement with the government that will see pay increase by €52.11 a month in each of the years 2023 to 2026. The agreement also includes an increase in the food allowance and a range of pay improvements for selected occupations as well as commitments on career development. Meanwhile, the STAL local government union and other unions in the Frente Comum are planning a national strike on 18 November as they believe the proposed pay increases are inadequate.

On 20 April, the STAL local government union and other public service unions in the Frente Comum delivered their common pay claim to the government with a central demand of a €90 pay increase. Highlighting the current increase in inflation the unions underlined how crucial it was to protect workers’ purchasing power and begin to restore the 15% fall in real pay since 2009. The unions have a range of other long-standing demands relating to the pay structure and career development. Meanwhile the SINTAP public service union met with the government and also focused on the loss of purchasing power

The government’s initial offer of a pay increase of 0.9% for public service workers for 2022 is well below the demands of the main trade unions. Trade unions in the Frente Comum federation are calling for a minimum EUR 90 a month increase from 1 January 2022 with a minimum wage set at EUR 850. The SINTAP trade union has claimed an increase of 2.5%. The unions have a range of other demands relating to meal allowances, the pay structure and career development, arduous work, precarious employment, changes to the performance management system and working time.

The SINTAP public service trade union has negotiated a new collective agreement with the Inova company that provides waste, water and other municipal services in Cantanhede in the Coimbra district. The union highlights in particular the progressive reduction of working hours in 2022 and 2023 to 35 a week; changes to the timing of night work; additional holiday entitlement – an extra day for each 10 years of service and general increase in annual leave to 25 by 2023. There will also be increases to meal and other allowances as well as higher pay. In contrast, the STAL local government union

The Common Front of the Public Administration Unions has announced a national day of action on 20 May to push the government to respond to its key collective bargaining demands for 2021. The unions are calling for a EUR 90 increase for all workers and a minimum salary of EUR 850 a month. They also want action to improve career development and the revocation of the SIADAP performance management system.

Public service unions have raised major concerns about the SIADAP performance management system. They reject the use of quotas and call for changes to ensure that workers have a faster and more transparent process of career development. Some unions have launched a campaign and petition calling for a total renegotiation of the system that they argue is bureaucratic and subjective. Others are looking for swift changes to the system and an end to quotas but are angry that the government has stated it will maintain quotas despite having agreed to meet unions to negotiate over SIADAP.

Unions organising in state administration in both Spain and Portugal have raised serious concerns about the approach to telework and particularly governments taking the opportunity to regularise arrangements that were only adopted on an emergency basis. While there is recognition of the potential benefits to work-life balance, unions argue that fundamental issues need to be addressed through collective bargaining in relation to working time, the right to disconnect, provision of equipment, health and safety, training, contact with the workplace and the voluntary nature of the decision to

The FESAP and Frente Comum federations of public sector trade unions are planning strike action on 20 March in protest at the pay increase implemented by the government which is worth only 0.3% for most workers. The FESAP federation is also planning a number of other initiatives including testimonies of individual workers about the difficulties they face as a result of the long-term pay freeze and low increases that they have suffered. These will be sent to the government. A national action is also planned for 19 March and conference on the future of the public service on 30 March.

With a national protest and strike action trade unions demonstrated their anger with the government's offer of what is effectively a 0.3% pay increase for public sector workers this year. Trade unions are calling for a significant increase after years of pay freezes and for a strengthening of collective bargaining.

Unions across the public sector will be mobilising on 31 January in protest at the government's failure to offer a decent pay rise for 2020. Unions in both the Frente Comum and FESAP public service federations have rejected the offer of a pay increase of 0.3% as totally inadequate after effectively 10 years of pay freezes. The Frente Comum unions plan a national demonstration on the day with a key demand for a flat-rate EUR 90 increase. FESAP unions are planning a one-day strike. EPSU sent a solidarity message.