Members of the government were met with protests this Thursday upon arrival at the Monastery of Tibães, in Braga, for the meeting of the Council of Ministers, by several dozen demonstrators linked to various sectors, demanding better wages and career progression.
Among the leaders present in Braga is Infrastructure Minister João Galamba, who saw his resignation request rejected by António Costa on Tuesday and declined to make any statements upon arrival.
At the noisy protest, organized by the Union of Trade Unions of Braga (USB), those present use megaphones and car horns, shout slogans, wield posters and the flags of Portugal and Fenprof.
Read shouts like “dismissal”, “Government listens, Braga fights”, “the battle continues, in schools or on the streets”, “education is a right, without it nothing is done”, “the cost of living is rising, the people can’t stand it”, “the wage increase is just and necessary”, “justice is a right, nothing can be done without it”, the demonstrators make themselves heard as the cars with the ministers’ cars pass by.
Speaking to the Lusa bureau, USB’s Joaquim Rodrigues explained that the protest aims to defend the demands of workers in various sectors, namely education, justice, textiles, metallurgy or trade.
For the union leader, “it is urgent to increase workers’ wages given the rise in the cost of living, essential goods, housing”, as well as career progression.
Joaquim Rodrigues gave the example of teachers or court officials who have been on strike in recent months.
In addition, he asked the government to allow negotiations on collective contracts “stopped since 2003”.
Today the government is holding the second day of the “Government + Next” program in Braga district, culminating in a decentralized meeting of the Council of Ministers.
Source: DN
