Common Front predicts strong adherence to today’s strike in civil service

Public administration workers are today on a national strike for immediate wage increases in view of the rising cost of living, with the Common Front, the union structure that called for the strike, foreseeing a “mass adhesion”.

The effects of the strike began to be felt on Thursday night, in hospitals and in garbage collection, since the stoppage began in these workers’ shifts.

Today, the strike will affect services in education, health, finance, social security and municipalities, but also areas with less visibility because they do not have public service, such as processing centers or central services, the coordinator of the Common Front, Sebastião, told Lusa. Santana, which predicts a “mass adhesion” to the protest.

“We are anticipating that many Social Security services, citizen shops, conservatories, finances will be closed, we are expecting a great impact on these services, also in the health area, with many external consultations closed and also in schools”, said Sebastião Santana.

The forecast of “a big strike” by the union leader is based on the “mobilization work” of the Common Front and on a “great dissatisfaction with the measures that the Government has not taken to enhance careers and services”.

“We cannot spend another year impoverishing with inflation of this nature, without salary updates”, said Sebastião Santana.

Among the reasons for the strike called by the Common Front are the demand for immediate salary increases, the setting of maximum limits for the prices of goods and services, the valuation of careers and the reinforcement of public services.

In the education sector, the National Federation of Teachers (Fenprof) announced this week that teachers and educators will participate in the public administration strike and non-teaching workers are covered by the prior notice of the Common Front.

For the day after the strike, on Saturday, a national demonstration is scheduled in Lisbon, promoted by the CGTP, for the general increase in wages and pensions in view of the rise in the cost of living.