Thousands of people protest in Lisbon for better wages and pensions

Thousands of workers started walking down Avenida da Liberdade, in Lisbon, this Saturday, it was after 4 pm, towards Restauradores, to claim wage and pension increases, among other measures, in view of the increase in the cost of living.

The national demonstration convened by the CGTP-IN has the motto “Todos a Lisboa! General Increase in Salaries and Pensions – National Emergency”, to represent public administration workers from the sectors of municipalities, education, health and public services and also from the private sector, from industry to commerce, hotels and food, among others.

“Costa, listen: the people are fighting” or “the people united, will never be defeated” are some of the slogans that can be heard among the demonstrators who complain about “low wages”.

Among banners that read “against precariousness”, “for real wages” or “permanent job equal to effective work bond”, a group of miners sings in protest, other young people who defend that the struggle “continues in companies and on the street” or a large group, with several pensioners, who protest against “a life working, pensions are stealing”.

The demonstration was organized by sectors, having had two pre-concentrations, one by the Public Administration, which started from Amoreiras, and another by workers from the private sector and the state business sector, which started from Saldanha.

The workers headed towards Marquês de Pombal, from where they now depart along Avenida da Liberdade towards Restauradores, where interventions by Interjovem and the general secretary of the CGTP, Isabel Camarinh, are planned.

Convened on February 17, the inter-union protest demands an increase in wages and pensions “immediately” by at least 10% or a minimum of 100 euros for all workers, as well as the setting of maximum limits on the prices of goods and services essential and extraordinary taxation “on the colossal profits of large companies”.

The national CGTP demonstration takes place one day after a national public administration strike, called by the Common Front of Trade Unions, a structure of the CGTP.