The highlight of the national demonstration that the CGTP has scheduled for this Saturday afternoon, in Lisbon, will take place at Praça dos Restauradores, at 3 pm. Before that, Praça do Saldanha and Rua das Amoreiras are the two places where protesters from the private sector and the Public Administration, respectively, are concentrated.
The protest, titled “All to Lisbon! General Increase in Salaries and Pensions – National Emergency”, will cause “many constraints” to traffic on several arteries in the center of Lisbon, especially in the Baixa, Amoreiras and Saldanha areas, according to information from the PSP provided to the Lusa agency. scenario, the authorities advise the use of public transport.
The constraints will be felt from lunchtime onwards, but specifically after 1:30 pm, at which time traffic will be prohibited to prepare the parade that will follow along Avenida da República, Praça Duque de Saldanha, Rua Casal Ribeiro, Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo, Avenida Duque de Loulé, Avenida Joaquim António de Aguiar, Rua Braamcamp, Marquês de Pombal Tunnel (downwards it will only be possible to exit onto Avenida António Augusto de Aguiar, but upwards will be circulable), Praça do Marquês de Pombal, Avenida da Liberdade, Praça dos Restauradores, Rua 1.º de Novembro, Praça Dom João da Câmara and adjacent streets.
The usual interventions, by Interjovem (organisation of young CGTP workers) and by Isabel Camarinha (general secretary of CGTP-IN), start at 4.30 pm. The young people will make their first public tribune tomorrow, starting at 10 am, next to the Amoreiras Shopping Centre.
Thousands of workers expected
The leader Ana Pires, from the union federation, assumed in declarations to Lusa that the CGTP expects the participation of thousands of workers from all over the country in the demonstration, “coming from all districts and sectors of activity, both public administration and the private sector “. The CGTP itself has organized transport for the displacement of workers. From Porto come three trains.
“The level of indignation registered in the workplace is very significant, workers are experiencing extreme difficulties due to their low wages”, he assumed, adding that “there are families who have to make daily choices between paying their bills or putting food on the table”.
“It is possible to live better in our country. The workers demand the regulation of the prices of essential goods and measures that prevent the increase in rents and installments of housing loans”, reads a CGTP poster announcing this Saturday’s demonstration.
“The purchasing power taken from the wages of workers has served to increase the profits of capital. The Government insists on not responding to the problems, it does not regulate the price of essential goods, it promotes the loss of purchasing power in wages, it maintains labor legislation against workers at the same time that the profits of large companies increase. The rise in prices, inflation and the reduction of purchasing power are not inevitable!”, concludes the trade union central.
walk for life
Another demonstration is planned on the same day – in this case a walk for life – which will involve a gathering at Praça Luís de Camões (at 2 pm) and a parade to Praça Dom Pedro IV (at 3 pm). In this case, traffic will also be prohibited from 1:30 pm in the following areas: Praça Luís de Camões, Rua da Misericórdia, Rua do Alecrim, Rua Paiva de Andrade, Rua Nova da Trindade, Rua Serpa Pinto, Rua Garrett, Rua Nova do Almada , Largo da Boa Hora, Rua Victor Cordon, Calçada de São Francisco, Rua da Conceição, Rua Áurea, Praça Dom Pedro IV and Praça da Figueira.
The “Walk for Life is the feast of Life, Family and Freedom” is organized by the Foundation for Life and takes place in ten cities across the country, from Aveiro to Viseu, including Funchal, Braga, Coimbra or Porto.
The amendments to labor legislation approved in the Assembly of the Republic do not solve the problems of precariousness, deregulation of working hours, attacks on collective bargaining and violations of workers’ rights.