It was the same union that called for a general strike for train drivers. Porto Metro is practically completely stopped, CP has minimal services.
A train drivers’ strike or paralyze the service of Porto Metro on FridayDecember 6, taking practical effect today (Thursday) night, announced the carrier.
“Due to the general strike called by SMAQ (National Union of Portuguese Railway Machinists), the Porto Metro will close its operations earlier today, with the last games to register between 22:00 and 23:00“, can be read in a statement published today by the carrier.
On Friday, “the Metro service will be interrupted throughout the network, with only very reduced circulation on the common trunk (Senhora da Hora- Estádio do Dragão), during peak hours“.
The National Union of Portuguese Railway Machinists (SMAQ) said it had advanced to Friday’s strike due to the lack of clarification from the Government on the relationship between railway accidents and rate of alcohol of these workers and to demand adequate safety conditions.
At issue are the statements made by the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, after the Council of Ministers of November 14, when he stated that “it is not well known, but Portugal has the second worst performance in terms of the number per kilometer of railway accidents that occur” and that it has “a performance about seven times worse than the first half of European countries”.
Strike also reaches CP
The title of this article may seem like an exaggeration but this Friday it will really be “negra” mainly for thousands of people who circulate in the Porto or surroundings – because the same strike affects CP.
A most trains will be stopped due to the general strike, called by the same union, SMAQ.
In fact, the general strike, which has already started to be felt today, Thursday, affects CP – EPE, Fertagus, MTS – Metro do Sul do Tejo, ViaPorto, Captrain, Medway and IP – Infraestruturas de Portugal.
In the case of trains (the stoppage is for the same reason), CP – Comboios de Portugal which should emerge “strong disturbances” in circulation; These disruptions have already begun to be felt, with 91 trips canceled by 12pm this Thursday.
The Arbitration Court ordered the establishment of minimum services in the order of 25% in CP, in urban, regional and long-haul services.
Thus, minimum services were defined for Alfa Pendular and Intercidades services; Regional, InterRegional and International; Urban residents of Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra.
Civil service
But transportation may not even be necessary if… passengers don’t even go to work. Or if the service they were going to is closed.
It’s just that, also this Friday, there is general strike in the public sector. Health and education could be the most affected services, the deputy secretary general of the National Federation of Independent Unions of Public Administration and Entities with Public Purposes (Fesinap) told Lusa.
The strike begins at midnight on Friday and continues until 11:59 pm, covering central, regional and local administration.
Speaking to the Lusa agency, deputy secretary general Fesinap anticipates that the education, including teachers, and the health, including doctors and nurses” could be the most affected sectors, “as happens repeatedly”. For those hospitals there is minimum services”, as the law requires.
One of the reasons that led to the call for this strike relates to the statements made by the Minister of Education, on Friday, in which the governor proposed the possibility of creating a special career for non-teaching school workers, one of the main demands of the operational assistants. .
