Lisbon, Nov. 6, 2024 (Lusa) - All Lisbon's metro stations were closed on Wednesday morning as an estimated 85% to 90% of employers of Metropolitano de Lisboa, the company that runs the system, took part in a partial strike, according to an official from the trade union federation that called the stoppage.

"There are no minimum services decreed," Sara Gligo of the Federation of Transport and Communications Unions (Fectrans) told Lusa at 7.10 a.m. "At the moment, adherence to the strike is high, at around eighty-five to niney percent. There are no trains running and the stations are closed."

Metropolitano de Lisboa employees have been called out on strike from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. due to what the union federation calls the transport company's "successive non-compliance" with payments and the Company Agreement signed between the two sides. Services are expected to be back to normal by 10.30 a.m.

On 14 November, Fectrans has called on workers to strike again between 5 and 10 a.m..

According to the union federation, the strike was decided by the workers in two plenary sessions and aims to demand that the carrier pay so-called variable elements (extra pay for overtime and public holidays) and comply with the Company Agreement.

With regard to non-compliance with the Company Agreement, the federation cites issues such as working conditions, career progression and a reduction in working hours.

"The strike is partial so that the company realises it has to resolve this situation and with the least possible penalty for metro users," another union official, Anabela Carvalheira, told Lusa.

The Lisbon metro has four lines on which services run daily: Yellow (between Rato and Odivelas), Green (Telheiras-Cais do Sodré), Blue (Reboleira-Santa Apolónia) and Red (Airport-São Sebastião).

The service normally runs between 6.30 a.m. and 1 a.m.

DD/ARO // ARO.

Lusa