Workers in the railway sector assigned to CGTP Intersindical, gathered this Wednesday in a plenary session in Entroncamento, unanimously approved the list of demands for 2025 where they demand a salary increase of 150 euros and the fulfillment of 35 hours of work.
“The workers unanimously decided to present to the company a proposal for salary adjustments of R$ 150 per month and take up the fight for 35 hours of work, and, in another aspect, discuss the country’s situation and concrete actions of mobilization and struggle”, he said This Wednesday, the CGTP coordinator spoke to Lusa, at the end of the plenary session that brought together around 150 railway workers from all companies in the Entroncamento workshop complex (Santarém).
Tiago Oliveira said that the approval of the statement of demands constituted a “moment of affirmation for workers, both at Medway and CP”, highlighting that the approved points are “fundamental for raising the quality of life” of workers “and for a perspective of a different future than they have today”.
The CGTP coordinator said that the salary increase of 150 euros is the proposal for the approximately eight thousand workers in the national railway sector and that this Wednesday’s plenary session, in Entroncamento, will take place in various parts of the country, in a contact plan and meetings with workers in different workplaces, with the aim of discussing agendas for the coming times.
“The union is discussing it in the various complexes that exist at national level, but the kick-off that we gave today in this plenary session saw a huge participation of workers and the list of demands was approved unanimously”, he highlighted, with Tiago Oliveira telling Lusa no there are, at this moment, strikes scheduled by the CGTP.
“Not yet at this moment”, he declared, noting that the time is to “value the discussion, value the workers’ position, present the proposals and fight to achieve the objectives”.
The proposal for the railway is in line with CGTP-IN’s Claims Policy for 2025, which requires a salary increase of at least 15%, at least 150 euros for all workers from January next year, as well as the increase in the national minimum wage from the current 820 euros to 1,000 euros.
Asked about the introduction of the new 20-euro rail pass, the union leader said he agreed with all measures that “value public transport, that encourage people to use public transport, and that allow for the improvement of living conditions on their own journeys “, which he noted, was not careful with this decision.
“We cannot move towards measures of this magnitude without first ensuring the means that guarantee these same measures and, what is a fact, is that there is still a lack of professionals and technical means”, he said, having pointed out the example of the delays that occur in urban trains in Lisbon.
“It’s not enough for everything, and only by going beyond needs can we provide a proper response to the population’s desires,” he declared.
Tiago Oliveira also highlighted that the plenary was held within the scope of the ‘National Mobilization, Claim and Struggle Action’ initiative, which CGTP-IN carries out between October 7th and November 8th, under the motto “Increase salaries and pensions, Defend public services and the social functions of the State, Solve the Country’s problems”, mobilizing workers in “discussion, assumption and struggle around the demand for a general and significant increase in wages, and for the guarantee of rights and concrete demands “.
“We discuss and call for the workers’ struggle and participation in the national demonstration on November 9th that CGTP-In will carry out against all these policies that are in progress and that increasingly deteriorate the living circumstances of each one of us”, concluded.
