Lisbon, Dec. 29, 2025 (Lusa) - Catering workers at CP - Comboios de Portugal long-distance train bars will be on strike from Tuesday, with no end date in sight, to demand compliance with the current company agreement.
In a statement released on Monday, the Federation of Agriculture, Food, Beverages, Hotel and Tourism Workers of Portugal (FESAHT) accuses the Instituto Técnico de Alimentação Humana (ITAU)), the company that has been operating the meal service on Alfa Pendular and Intercidades long-distance trains since April this year, of refusing to "comply with the company agreement (AE) in force for workers".
At issue are "work schedules that respect the 8-hour daily and 35-hour weekly working hours", "payment for work on Saturdays and Sundays with a 25% increase" and "payment of the daily meal allowance of €11.50 and €13".
Also at issue are the "payment of seniority allowances of €20 each," the "payment of responsibility bonuses and transport allowances," as provided for in the agreement in force, as well as "serious negotiations to allow for the revision of the AE in 2026," the federation lists.
As such, "workers who carry out their professional activities in the bars of the Alfa Pendular and Intercidades long-distance trains will go on strike, starting on 30 December and with no end date, to demand respect and full compliance" with this agreement, FESAHT said.
In the same note, the federation reports that it has been waiting since July "for a meeting to be scheduled and a proposal to be presented by the ITAU Administration, a meeting that was repeatedly postponed by the company and which finally took place on 10 December", but at which "no proposal was presented that could put an end to the labour dispute" and at which, according to FESAHT, "it conveyed a final position that it will not comply with the AE, showing itself to be still unwilling to negotiate its revision in 2026".
"It merely promised a salary review in line with the employers' association AHRESP and again hinted, as it had already done in July, at a proposal for incentives, without, however, making any concrete proposal," it adds, considering that this position "is illegal and constitutes an affront to workers".
FESAHT, affiliated to the CGTP, proposes salary increases "in line with those presented for other sectors and companies" of 15%, with a minimum of €150, and that the minimum wage in train bars should be €1,050.
Since ITAU began operating this service, there have been 16 days of strikes.
JMF/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
