Association of GNR sergeants says deal is discriminatory
Within hours of yesterday’s ‘historic’ deal between the government and police – lauded by the prime minister as he attends a NATO summit in America – one of the eight syndicates that did not sign up for it has vowed it is taking the matter to the Constitutional Court.
ANSG (the national association of GNR sergeants) says the deal does not comply with the principle of legality or equality.
“We have no other option”, association president Ricardo Rodrigues told reporters, suggesting ANSG’s appeal will be lodged “as soon as possible”.
He explained: “what is at issue is an amount that was awarded to PJ Judicial Police in November last year and which clearly differentiated between members of the security forces and the PJ”.
All PJ categories, for example, have seen their risk supplements increased by between €300 and €700. And this is what the country’s other security forces were hoping for – pay parity.
Absolutely discriminatory treatment”
There is “clearly a constitutional issue here“, Rodrigues continues: “the principle of equality is being violated” by not treating “what is equal equally”.
According to Ricardo Rodrigues, the €300 euro increase puts a large part of the GNR military, up to the rank of sergeant, but not equal to a PJ inspector.
As syndicates have said in the past, the least they were prepared to accept was a €400 a month increase (something the PM absolutely refused).
SIAP, the Independent Union of Police Officers (SIAP), which also did not sign yesterday’s agreement, has described the deal as one that “is not worthy for a PSP agent because he earns less than a PJ police inspector”.
SIAP president Carlos Torres claims his syndicate won’t accept a centimo less than €400 per month in risk supplement.
And the other unions unhappy with the deal are saying much the same.
The five that signed up, however – SNOP, the national union of police officer, ASPP, the trade union association of police professionals, SNCC, the national unions of career chiefs, APG, the association of professional guards and ANOG, the national association of guard officers – have said while the deal certainly isn’t perfect, it is one that is ‘heading in the right direction’.
“It is a half deal, not ideal” said Bruno Pereira, a spokesman for the platform of GNR and PSP syndicates that is now in a state of internal rupture. “This way we have achieved leverage in salaries, principally for those on the lowest wages and just starting out”.
