With the days counting down to next month’s general strike, the country’s largest police professionals union association (ASPP/PSP) has abandoned negotiations with the government, considering offers on the table to be ‘insufficient’.
Paulo Santos, union president, told Lusa: “ASPP is abandoning the negotiations because the proposal presented does not meet what we would expect regarding the salary scales, supplements, and evaluation regulations”.
A meeting will be called next week to “decide on protest actions”, he added – as GNR unions are equally underwhelmed by the government’s proposals.
This is yet another ‘poor result’ for the minister of interior administration, Maria Lúcia Amaral, who was generally seen as ‘out of her depth’ in the role during the summer wildfires.
As Lusa explains, Ms Amaral presented the five GNR unions with an initial proposal which “immediately includes a review of paid services and, ‘with no set date for implementation,’ changes to the occupational health and safety regulations, careers and remuneration status, and evaluation system”.
The minister also announced that the special service supplement for military personnel working in criminal investigation and special units will be increased by 2.15% in January, which, according to the various unions, translates into an increase of between €3 and €7 per month, depending on duties performed.
This went down particularly badly with César Nogueira of the APG union, who dubbed the proposal as “worse than what was offered by the previous Socialist government”.
Bottom line: all five GNR unions are very likely to join ASPP/PSP in whatever protests are scheduled
Source material: LUSA
