Unionists sing 'Janeiras' to S. Bento and promise to fight if they don't have answers

The problems that the Common Front claims to be solved - and which include the loss of purchasing power of public administration workers, the precariousness or deterioration of services and careers - have been "poured out" in suitable song lyrics. by trade unionists to the songs 'Vampires' and 'Chula da Póvoa' by Zeca Afonso.

To shouts of slogans such as "The struggle continues in the services or in the streets" and "A fair increase in wages is urgent and necessary", trade unionists symbolically sang the Janeiras next to the official residence of the Prime Minister, in S Bento, for, as Common Front coordinator Sebastião Santana said, "to alert the Prime Minister to the mess his government is making."

“The letters [destas canções adaptadas] reflect the problematic experienced in public administration, both for those who work there and for those who use public services,” said the leader of the Common Front.

Speaking to journalists, Sebastião Santana pointed out that it was the 13th consecutive year that public administration workers lost purchasing power, due to the maintenance of a "low wage policy".

"The policy of low wages continues, the precariousness continues, the deterioration of public services is more and more evident for everyone and it is important that Mr. Prime Minister, once and for all, put a stop to what has been government policy on public administration,” the union leader said.

Considering that the meetings that took place with the Ministry of the Presidency (which is responsible for public administration) were "completely fruitless" and that the government replied that it did not agree with the demand proposal of the Common Front, Sebastião Santana said that the Union structure is available to negotiate, but does not exclude the adoption of forms of struggle in case of lack of response.

“The Common Front does not exclude any form of struggle. We will assess what the government is going to do this year, what proposals it brings to the table and whether or not it is willing to solve the problems,” said the coordinator of the Common Front (affected by the CGTP), stressing that s there is no such readiness “Without a doubt, the struggle is the path that the workers will choose”.

"We will be available to develop all forms of struggle that the workers deem appropriate", which includes "demonstrations, strikes and concentrations", he stressed.

After singing the janeiras - at a time when, a few meters away, in parliament, the debate was still taking place on the motion of no confidence in the government presented by the Liberal Initiative - the union leaders handed over a document addressed to the Prime Minister at the official residence in which they demand the effective negotiation of the demand proposal they have presented and warn of the deterioration of the living conditions of the workers and the need to strengthen public services.

LT // CC