The four-day strike by workers at Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua (PSML), which began on Thursday and ends today, did not affect the functioning of the monuments, according to the company’s management and the STAL union.
Regarding adherence, the National Union of Local and Regional Administration Workers (STAL) said that “about 50%” of workers joined the strike in these four days, but the PSML administration contradicts, stating that, “in general, a strike adherence of 8.3% was registered in the company”, which is responsible for managing part of the cultural heritage of Sintra, in the district of Lisbon.
“We kept all the equipment operational,” a source from PSML’s board of directors told Lusa, arguing that “it was completely impossible” for the company to function and open parks and monuments if the level of adhesion pointed out by STAL had been registered.
Speaking to the Lusa agency, Carlos Faia Fernandes, leader of STAL, confirmed that all the equipment managed by Parques de Sintra opened in these four days of strike, which were in operation through the replacement of workers, referring that there were difficulties in opening smaller monuments, namely the Convent of Capuchos.
This Sunday, the monuments managed by PSML in the forest perimeter of the Sintra mountains, such as the Pena Palace, were closed, but due to weather conditions, with high temperatures and high risk of fire, but this situation is not reflected in the strike adherence data.
The trade unionist Carlos Faia Fernandes indicated that, in these four days, the monuments were operating with “many conditions”, including queues at the entrances, and with “difficulties for the maintenance of the heritage”, giving as an example the Palace of Pena that was “operating with only five guards”, remembering that it is “a very large monument for so few people”.
Contesting this information, the company’s management informed that, during the strike period, “at the Palace of Pena 23 people were working in the operational part of the public visitation”, and the expected for this high season was 28.
At stake is a strike called by STAL, for not reviewing some clauses of the new PSML company agreement, which has already been signed between the administration and the Public Administration Workers Union (Sintap).
PSML manages the palaces of Sintra, Pena, Queluz and Monserrate, the Moorish Park and the Moorish Castle.
The management of Parques de Sintra also revealed that, so far, 64% of the approximately 320 workers have already signed the new company agreement, which was made available as of last Monday.
“It is the understanding of the administration that this is a good agreement, that the workers are adhering to the agreement, that they did not join the strike, as is manifest by having kept the equipment open”, stressed a source from the administration, adding that the negotiation process is closed.
STAL is calling for a company agreement that “does not contain clauses that deregulate working hours and workplaces, such as adaptability and the possibility of being deprived of their lunch hour”, and is also advocating a transport allowance or alternative for workers who work in the most remote palaces.
On July 28, PSML’s management signed the revision of the company agreement with Sintap, for “a salary scale identical to that of public administration workers”, an immediate increase of 52 euros, plus an additional 1% retroactive to January 1, 2023 and an increase in the meal allowance.
It is also planned to guarantee increases for the coming years of no less than 52 euros, the integration of ‘adaptability’ in salary (paid at 14 months when previously it was paid at 12 months) and a generalized appreciation of all careers, according to the company.
