drivers

The strikes affecting CP led this Saturday, between 00:00 and 19:00, to the suppression of 130 trains out of 674 planned, representing 19.3% of the total, according to data sent by the carrier to Lusa.

Thus, 544 trains were carried out in the same period, indicated the company.

In the long-haul service, 10 trains out of 51 planned were suppressed and, in the regional service, out of 208 estimated, 65 did not circulate.

In urban Lisbon, 39 trains out of 257 scheduled were suppressed, while in Porto, out of an estimated 135, 12 trains were suppressed.

In the urban areas of Coimbra, 12 trains out of an estimated 23 did not take place.

Until Sunday, at CP, workers whose normal work period covers more than three hours during the period between 00:00 and 05:00 will go on strike from the seventh hour of service.

At Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) and also until Sunday, workers whose normal work period covers more than three hours during the period between 00:00 and 05:00 will go on strike from the seventh hour of service.

These strikes were decreed by a platform of unions composed of ASCEF – Union Association of Intermediate Managers of Railway Exploration; the SINFB – National Union of Braçais and Related Railway Workers; o SINFA – Independent Union of Railway, Infrastructure and Related Workers; o FENTECOP – National Union of Transport, Communications and Public Works; SIOFA – Independent Union of Railway Workers and the like; ASSIFECO – Independent Trade Union Association of Commercial Railroad Workers and STF – Railway Technical Services.

The National Union of Drivers of the Portuguese Railways (SMAQ) is also on strike throughout this month, given the “disregarding attitude” of which it accuses the company.

Among the demands of the workers are “effective salary increases”, the “valuation of the traction career” and the improvement of working conditions in the driving cabins and social facilities and the safety conditions on the lines and parks for the protection of motor material.

The workers also ask for a “humanization of duty rosters, fixed meal times and a reduction in rest away from headquarters”, an “effective psychological follow-up protocol for train drivers in the event of people being caught on the track and accidents” and the “recognition and appreciation of the professional requirements and training of train drivers by the new legislative framework”.