The government workers union today announced a national strike, the first substantial test of the strength of António Costa’s new Socialist government.
The National Federation of Unions of Workers in Government Service announced the strike for January 29th unless the government immediately reduces their weekly hours to 35 hours, as he has promised.
Costa already has agreed the reduction in hours of the official working week, but wants a start date in July this year. Not good enough for the uppity union despite many of its workers already working the lower 35-hour week having rejected the 40-hour week edict from the Passos Coelho administration.
"What the Federation approved is a national strike on January 29th unless the 35-hour week is brought in and the PS withdraws its proposal for the entry into force of the 35-hour week in July," according to the union’s coordinator, Ana Avoila.
The union is serious and today presented a 40,000 name petition to government in support of its stance. The petition aims to "ensure that workers of public administration return to a working week of 35-hours."
This all was discussed last December with the Left Bloc going for an immediate reduction, the Communist Party opting for a start date 30 days after the resolution and the ruling Socialist Party insisting on a July 1st start date.
The new government agreed to eliminate restrictions on taking on public administration staff and the return to the 35-hour working week, provided that the measures do not entail any "increase in overall staff costs."
How António Costa will manage this trick remains to be seen, the delayed start date to June 1st at least would give him the chance to figure something out.
