In late 1997, trade unions representing Portuguese lorry drivers began the process of bargaining over a new collective agreement for 1998. In contrast with their French counterparts, Portuguese lorry drivers seem unlikely to take high-profile industrial action in support of their demands.
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In late 1997, trade unions representing Portuguese lorry drivers began the process of bargaining over a new collective agreement for 1998. In contrast with their French counterparts, Portuguese lorry drivers seem unlikely to take high-profile industrial action in support of their demands.
The Motorway and Urban Transport Union (Federação dos Sindicatos dos Transportes Rodoviários e Urbanos, FESTRU), which is affiliated to the CGTP confederation, will be submitting a proposal to revise the collective agreement for lorry drivers between December 1997 and January 1998 - the period scheduled for negotiations for 1998. In essence, their proposed amendment of the sector-level agreement (Acordo Colectivo de Trabalho, ACT) will provide for a reduction in the retirement age, respect for workers' rights - a criticism of less favourable individual employment contracts - and wage increases.
Of the nearly 20,000 Portuguese lorry drivers employed by companies (which excludes those who, for example, own their own vehicles) only some 3,000 hold international licences. According to FESTRU, the operation of heavy lorries operating exclusively within Portugal is extremely dispersed and, though dissatisfaction is pervasive, workers do not display their discontent from fear of dismissal. To this extent the situation is different from that in France - where lorry drivers have again been taking industrial action as Portuguese bargaining starts (FR9711177F). Portuguese drivers earn lower wages and have worse working conditions than their French counterparts, but it seems unlikely that they will participate in roadblocks.
Portuguese drivers with international licences have a monthly basic salary of about PTE 98,000, plus a PTE 21,000 TIR (international road transport) bonus and an additional PTE 52,600 corresponding to two hours per day of night work and overtime. For these workers, FESTRU is demanding a basic monthly salary of PTE 145,000, plus PTE 9,000 per day for meals and travel outside the country and a monthly TIR bonus of PTE 39,000. The demands for drivers in domestic territory will be: a basic wage of PTE 106,200 (instead of PTE 98,200); a rise in daily meal allowances from PTE 1,330 to PTE 1,420; a maximum working day of nine hours; and eight hours off between two working weeks. It should be stressed that these workers often work 12 hours per day, four of which are overtime.
FESTRU is also protesting against the current practice of payment per kilometre which it says is is illegal under the terms of European Community Regulation 3820/85 on drivers' hours. It is also demanding recognition of, and legal provision for, occupational illnesses on the part of the Portuguese Government - an issue that still has not been dealt with.
On 3 November, on the same day as the French lorry drivers' strike, FESTRU sponsored a "nationwide awareness day" during which it publicised its demands for renegotiating the sector-level agreement. Although the National Association of Workers in Motorway Goods Transportation (Associação Nacional dos Trabalhadores Rodoviários de Mercadoria, ANTRAM), which represents Portuguese TIR trucking companies, criticised FESTRU, it also agreed that it is necessary to make changes in what is now a 20-year old agreement in order to ensure the competitiveness of road transport companies.
Eurofound doporučuje citovat tuto publikaci následujícím způsobem.
Eurofound (1997), Lorry drivers open collective bargaining, article.
