Portuguese air traffic controllers and fishing workers oppose EU policies

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In June 2002, Portuguese air traffic controllers and fishing workers took action in protest at EU proposals - to create a single European airspace and reform the common fisheries policy respectively. It is feared that both proposals would have a particularly negative impact in Portugal.

In June 2002, Portuguese workers in air traffic control and the fishing industry took action in protest at European Union policies affecting their sectors.

Portuguese air traffic controllers joined a day of action staged in a number of countries across Europe on 19 June 2002 (EU0207202N). The action was in protest against plans drawn up by the European Commission to create a 'European single sky'– a single European airspace, replacing the current system under which each EU Member State has its own national airspace. The action was organised by the Air Traffic Controllers European Unions Coordination (ATCEUC) and timed to coincide with an EU Transport Council on 17-18 June 2002 and the Seville European Council on 21-22 June 2002. Industrial action of various kinds was taken by air traffic controllers in France (where a strike virtually closed down air traffic), Greece, Hungary, Italy, and Portugal.

In Portugal, a strike was held from 11.00 to 15.00 on 19 June, causing considerable disruption. One of the Portuguese controllers' main fears is that the European single sky may open up the sector to private enterprises. They claim that this would reduce safety, encroach on national sovereignty and reduce the number of jobs.

A proposed reform of the EU's common fisheries policy, discussed by the Fisheries Council on 11 June 2002, received a high level of attention in Portugal, where it is considered to go against the interests of both employers and workers. Workers in the industry held demonstrations in protest. The aims of the reform are to protect the environment and fish stocks, and address the low output of the industry, the high economic and social cost of government subsidies for modernisation, and job losses.

The negative aspects of the proposed reform, in the view of the Portuguese social partners, are the end of government aid for converting fishing fleets and for creating mixed companies with other countries, an increase in incentives to write off vessels, and cash incentives for reducing fishing activities. The most serious issue for Portugal is its great difficulty in modernising its fleet - 40% of fishing vessels in Portugal are more than 25 years old and about 300 vessels have already been written off. The ship-owners think that the situation is unfair, because Portugal managed to fulfil the objectives of the EU's Fourth Operational Fisheries Programme in terms of reducing its fishing capacity, unlike other Member States, whose capacity increased. It is claimed that Portugal is going to be penalised for this. Furthermore, under the reform priority will go to frozen fish fleets rather than fresh fish.

The Northern Region Fishing Workers' Union (Sindicato dos Pescadores do Norte) says that the reform will be the end of the fishing occupation in Portugal. Portuguese fishing workers will either move to other EU countries, as already occurs, or move to other sectors. Steps are already being taken to retrain fishing workers

Organisations from the fishing sector - ship-owners, trade unions, fishing cooperatives, representatives of the ship repair industry representatives, local authorities and local development associations - have formed a task force to find ways of making the EU authorities aware of the economic, social and cultural implications of the proposal to reform the common fisheries policy. The first meeting of the group was attended mainly by representatives from the Peniche and Nazaré areas, which will be most affected by the reform.