Garbage collection workers on strike during Easter in Marco de Canaveses

Workers at FCC – Environment Portugal gave notice of strike between March 30th and April 1st, which will affect waste collection services in the municipality of Marco de Canaveses.

As with previous strikes, employees demand “a 15% salary increase, at least 150 euros, for all workers”as well as “implementation of a starting salary of 1000 euros”. In addition, they demand an increase in the food subsidy, the “setting the normal working period at seven hours a day and 35 hours a week” It is “25 days of paid vacation”.

Workers also request “the regulation of a Hardship, Unhealthy and Risk Subsidy; ensuring health and safety at work; mandatory annual medical examinations; right to a regime of careers and professional categories and fixation of night work between 8 pm on one day and 7 am the next day, compensated with an increase of 25% of the monthly base salary”.

In advance notice of strike, workers ask “the opening of a serious negotiation process that standardizes labor rules for all employees”as well as “regularization of precarious employment situations so that permanent needs correspond to effective employment relationships”.

With regard to minimum services, there will be “a team to collect containers that are necessary from hospital facilities” and also “to respond to emergencies that may arise”.

In this regard, the municipality of Marco de Canaveses guaranteed, as owner of the concession, to be “attentive to the situation and participated, as an assistant, in the meeting between the union and the company that took place on March 25th, making a commitment to ensure that the company complies with all legal obligations towards its workers”.

In the same statement, the municipality also states that “Despite efforts to find an understanding between the parties involved, some of the issues raised by FCC workers could not be addressed.”.

Marco de Canaveses City Council reiterates that “It does not have the competence to decide on the issues presented by FCC workers, nor can it make demands on the company in this regard. Such issues are subject to agreements between the parties involved, and the clearinghouse is limited to complying with established legal obligations.”.

In this sense, the municipality requests “the best understanding and collaboration of citizens in order to avoid depositing in containers as much as possible between March 30th (Friday) and April 1st (Monday), in order to contain the accumulation of rubbish in public spaces”.