During the strike, minimum services will be guaranteed to ensure assistance to the city’s population.
Firefighters from the Lisbon Firefighters Regiment (RSBL) are starting a strike this Monday due to “persistent problems with working conditions”, guaranteeing only minimum services.
In previous statements to the Lusa agency, the president of the National Union of Professional Firefighters (SNBP), Sérgio Carvalho, indicated that during the strike period, which began at 00:00, Minimum services will be guaranteed to ensure assistance to the city’s population.
A strike will affect prevention and inspection services, floor cleaning, among other services that do not jeopardize aid.
Regarding professional training, only that relating to promotion courses for RSBL firefighters will be guaranteed.
The president of the SNBP said that a strike, until December 17th, “will only stop” when received by the president of Lisbon City CouncilCarlos Moedas (PSD).
Strike motivated by several factors
Among the reasons that lead the Sapadores to strike are the lack of personal protective equipment, “a shortage of personnel and unmanned vehicles and some vehicles without specific equipment for several years”, in addition to facilities with “inadequate living conditions”.
Sérgio Carvalho also recalled that the Sapadores are providing a daily 24-hour prevention service at the Santa Maria Hospital heliport, and that “so far no one knows the protocol established between the RSBL, the Lisbon City Council and the hospital”.
“There are 18 men from three barracks in Lisbon who are on prevention in Santa Maria 24 hours a day and we don’t even know the compensation that the municipality receives for a prevention service carried out by RSBL vehicles and firefighters”, he explained, remembering that in other hospitals and areas of the country this service is remunerated to the entities that provide it “with very considerable amounts”.
For the union, the regiment “cannot provide a free service to the Ministry of Health, when it comes to prevention and not relief”. Preventions related to landings and take-offs from the Santa Maria Hospital heliport will be affected by the strike, as they are a prevention service.
On Wednesday, the National Union of Professional Firefighters filed a complaint with the General Inspectorate of Finance against the Lisbon City Council, denouncing “serious failures” in the management of the regiment, namely the lack of personal protective equipment.
In a response sent to Lusa, a source from Lisbon City Council indicated that “in the vehicles and equipment component there was an investment of around eight million euros, enabling RSBL to respond to highly complex and dangerous situations”.
“With regard to improving working conditions, it should be noted that works worth 450 thousand euros were carried out in several barracks. The public tender process for the acquisition of 300 puffer jackets and 230 rain suits for RSBL operatives was also concluded”, indicated a source from the executive led by Moedas, re-elected in October.
