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News                                    The Portugal News · 21 Nov 2020      3
                                                       CTT workers set to strike
                            News in Brief


      Second wave peak between                         CTT workers will be on strike on 30 November and on 2 and 3 December in defence
      20 November and 6 December                       of wage increases for 2020 while calling for the increase in the number of workers

        The peak of the second wave of the incidence of the   providing the postal service.
      coronavirus in Portugal is expected to be reached between
      20 November and 6 December. The forecast was made by   According to the secretary   correspondence,” said the
      Lisbon University’s professor of Epidemiology who has   general of the National   leader to the Lusa News
      been tracking the virus and its trends. According to Manuel   Union of Postal and   agency.
      Carmo Gomes, the number of cases will reach its peak in the   Telecommunications   “The company said it had
      coming fortnight, with 3,200 patients hospitalised of which   Workers (SNTCT), Vitor   no money, but shortly
      just under 500 will be in intensive care units. Overall, during   Narciso, the strike is   afterwards it distributed
      that period there will be around 7,000 new daily cases.  expected to have “a great   bonuses, with subjective
                                                       impact on the service and   criteria, and anticipated the
      TAP loses 11 million passengers                  treatment and distribution   payment of the Christmas
      due to Covid                                     of post, but that is the   subsidy, it seems that the
                                                       intention, for the company
                                                                                problem is not a lack of
        National flag carrier TAP has lost 11 million passengers   to understand the workers’   money, but the lack of desire
      so far this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Data from   indignation and for the   to increase wages ”, he
      October shows a slight increase in losses compared to Sep-  public to understand what is   stated.
      tember, with a year-on-year drop of 80.6 percent Between   happening at CTT”.  The SNTCT is one of eight
      March - the month in which the pandemic was declared - and  “What we intend is to   union members involved in   Postal workers are calling for wage increases and to employ
      October, TAP carried 11 million fewer passengers, compared   restore normality to CTT   negotiations with CTT that   more staff to provide a better service for customers.
      to the same period in 2019.                      in terms of collective   called for the strike that will
                                                       contracting and the quality   take place at national level.  retroactive to 1 June 2020,   having an increase this year”,
      Children in Danger help line                     of public service that is   According to Vitor Narciso,   instead of retroactive to   he said, recalling that since
      receives 470 calls in six months                 provided to the population,   the union proposal went   January.         the privatisation of CTT in
                                                       which is getting worse,
                                                                                down, at the last conciliation
                                                                                                                                2013, workers have had a 5.3
                                                                                                        “Even so, the company did
        A new Children in Danger helpline, created by the child   with the delays increasing   meeting, to a salary   not accept it, but workers   percent wage growth over
      and youth protection commission during the pandemic, has   in the distribution of   increase of €20 per worker,   are not satisfied with not   eight years”, said.
      received about 470 calls in six months. These, according to
      the president of the National Commission for the Promo-  “Presidential elections are likely to be on 24 January”
      tion of the Rights and Protection of Children and Youth, in
      comments to Lusa News Agency, were mostly with requests
      for anonymity and to report “very serious” situations. The   The Portuguese presidential elections will probably be scheduled for 24 January 2021,
      telephone helpline (961 231 111) was created in the midst of   according to the president of Chega, André Ventura after being received by the head
      the pandemic to emphasise that society has an obligation to
      protect children.                                of state, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
                                                         Outside the Palace of Belém in   not up to me to do so”.       days in advance”.
      Excess information helps drive                   Lisbon, André Ventura told reporters   “It is known that I am a presidential   If none of the candidates obtain
      pandemic fatigue                                 that “there will also be news about the   candidate, it is also known that Marce-  more than half of the cast votes,
                                                       presidential elections, but it will be the
                                                                                        lo Rebelo de Sousa is not yet. I jokingly
                                                                                                                        excluding blank votes, “the second vote
        Portugal’s health chief has said the fact that there are many   President himself who will make that   asked him if he had anything to say to   will take place on the twenty-first day
      broadcasters of information on Covid-19, from the media to   announcement.”       me, but he also honestly didn’t answer   after the first”, between the two most
      experts, to social media, can confuse the public, helping to   Asked if he left this meeting with a   me,” the president of Chega added.   voted. The law states that “both the
      drive pandemic fatigue. Graça Freitas said that at the begin-  date, the president of Chega replied:   The Electoral Law of the Presi-  first and eventual second vote shall take
      ning of the pandemic it was simpler to communicate because   “Yes, with the probable date of the 24   dent of the Republic states that the   place within 60 days prior to the end
      the DGS and the health sector knew the contingency plans   January, although it is an announce-  Head of State “will mark the date of   of the term of office of the President of
      and the measures to be taken and people were eager to hear   ment that will be made by Marcelo   the first vote for the election to the   the outgoing Republic”, which is on 9
      this information and listen.                     Rebelo de Sousa and not by me, it is   Presidency of the Republic at least 60   March 2021.
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