The national train company anticipates disruptions between October 24 and November 3.
CP – Comboios de Portugal warned today of disturbances between October 24 and November 3, with a particular incidence on October 31, due to a strike called by the Itinerant Commercial Review Railway Union (SFRCI).
In a note published on its website, the railway operator informed that “due to a strike called by the SFRCI union”, the company anticipates disruptions between October 24 and November 3, 2024.
Thus, with a partial strike expected on October 28, 29 and 30, CP predicts disturbances in Regional/InterRegional, Coimbra Urban and Porto Urban services.
Already on October 31, when there will be a total shutdown for 24 hours, “severe disruptions are expected in all services (Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, Regional/InterRegional, Urban and Celta Internacional)”, including “some disruptions on the following day”.
“On the remaining days, there may be occasional disruptions”, particularly in the Lisbon Urban and Intercidades services between the Algarve and Lisbon.
“If minimum services are guaranteed, this information will be updated», indicated the note.
Lusa contacted the union to confirm the strike, which indicated that it would be partial, lasting two hours at the beginning of each shift and 24 hours on October 31.
According to a source from the SFRCI, representing CP’s ticket office workers and reviewers, these strikes are motivated by their “non-compliance with the agreement” they signed with the operator last July.
According to the union, the protest “has to do with remuneration”. The contract includes a “transportation allowance and a bonus for availability added to the base pay,” which would benefit employees. The union wants a greater balance in comparison with train drivers’ salaries.
“The agreement was signed in the past; last year’s guardianship validated it; it is in this year’s State Budget,” he assured, indicating that the “company has the money but does not implement the agreement”, scheduled for December 1, 2023.
“This is the first time that this has happened to us, where agreements signed with administrations have not been fulfilled,” he criticised, lamenting that they had to return “to a labour conflict that had been closed.”
Last year, CP was affected by several strikes called by the company’s unions, which was resolved with an agreement signed with the structures.
In the notice published today, the operator informed that customers who “already have purchased tickets to travel on Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, Internacional, InterRegional and Regional services” will be granted a full refund “of the purchased ticket, or its free exchange to another train of the same category and in the same class”. This process can be done on the CP website or ticket offices.
“After this period, and up to 10 days after the strike ends, a refund can be requested by filling out the online Refund for Delay or Suppression contact form and sending a scan of the original ticket”, concluded the SFRCI spokesperson.
