Workers at the Municipal Urban Transport Services of Coimbra (SMTUC) have launched a strike demanding better wages and the recognition of professional careers for drivers and mechanics. The industrial action, organised by the trade union STAL, had over 97% participation and will escalate in the coming months. A key issue is the lack of structured career paths for drivers and mechanics, who are currently classified as operational assistants. The workers are demanding fair recognition of their roles, a hazardous and unhealthy work supplement, improved working conditions, full holiday entitlements, and a general pay increase of at least 15%, with a minimum public sector wage of € 1,000. The strike is part of a broader struggle against the long-standing erosion of workers' rights in public transport services.
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For more information, please contact Paul de Beer or Oana Ciuca, De Burcht (Scientific Bureau for the Dutch Trade Union Movement) p.t.debeer@uva.nl or the Head of communications at the ETUI, Mehmet Koksal mkoksal@etui.org. For previous full issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit https://www.etui.org/Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter or consult the archive with all articles in our database at www.cbnarchive.eu.
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