Museum workers' strike with high participation (but little impact)

The reception and security workers at the 38 facilities of the Museums and Monuments of Portugal returned to strike today as part of the work stoppage on public holidays that has been taking place throughout the year, and which was called by the National Federation of Trade Unions of Workers in Public and Social Functions (FNSTFPS).

A strike picket was gathered in front of the Jerónimos Monastery, distributing information leaflets to the few tourists who appeared very sparingly to ask for information about the monument's closure.

According to union leader Catarina Simão, today's strikes do not reflect what has happened in previous strikes, in which dozens of tourists gathered outside the closed buildings, complaining and expressing their frustration, forming lines that reached the entrance to the Planetarium.

Today, the only visible queue was the one that formed at the entrance to the Church of the Jerónimos Monastery, which remained open to visitors.

Catarina Simão explained to Lusa that the justification for this change is due to the information signs about the strike, previously placed in front of the equipment, which did not allow tourists to be taken completely by surprise.

"Today is exceptionally very peaceful," as in previous strikes "there were complicated situations with a lot of conflict," said the union leader, showing her conviction that the information signs were a "demobilizing factor for those who would possibly be in line at this time to enter."

The FNSTFPS director recalled that the workers' protest began more than a year ago, in April of last year.

"With the extinction of the DGPC [Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage] and the creation of a public business entity, workers saw their pay on public holidays changed and are on strike on all national holidays, demanding fair pay for their work," he said.

According to the union leader, there are workers "receiving little more than 20 euros - 22 euros -, when the salary of a technical assistant does not reach one thousand euros and the payment for work on a holiday does not reach 50%, therefore, it is not even a working day".

The universe covered does not reach four hundred workers, which means that the amounts in question "are around 200 thousand euros per year", relating to eight national holidays (those on which museums are usually open), that is, "eight days of work to pay these workers", he added.

Only security and reception staff are involved, as other technical assistants in the museum's administrative area are on public holidays.

"We will continue until the Government presents a valid proposal that workers want to accept," assured Catarina Simão, expressing, however, "very expectant" with the "openness" shown by the new Government.

"The Minister [of Culture, Margarida Balseiro Lopes], with whom we met on July 15, said that she had some ideas, which she could not yet present to the unions, but that she would speak to the executive and then present the proposal."

According to data from FNSTFPS, today, in the Greater Lisbon area, the Jerónimos Monastery, the Coach Museum, the National Museum of Ancient Art, the Theater Museum, the National Tile Museum, the Anastácio Gonçalves House-Museum and the Mafra Palace are closed.

The National Museum of Popular Art has opened and the Picadeiro Real is also open, but with restrictions.

In the south, the Sagres Fortress and the Frei Manuel do Cenáculo National Museum (Évora) remained closed, while in the central region, the Convent of Christ (Tomar), the Alcobaça Museum, the National Museum of Conímbriga (in Condeixa-a-Velha) did not open to the public, while the Grão Vasco National Museum (Viseu) opened, but with restrictions.

In the north of the country, the Alberto Sampaio Museum, the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza and the Guimarães Castle are also closed, said Catarina Simão, adding that she was unable to know whether the Dom Diogo de Sousa Museum (Braga) was closed or open, as those responsible were unreachable due to the fires near the region.

The Belém Tower, the National Archaeology Museum and the National Dance Museum are not included in this equation, as they are closed for renovations under the PRR (Recovery and Resilience Plan).

Catarina Simão recalled that the next national holiday is October 5th and that, if the workers' situation is not resolved by then, national museums and monuments will close their doors again.

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