News

Members of the SNTCT in Portugal met in Lisbon 17 February for a seminar on postal liberalisation and privatisation.



Union leaders from other countries in Europe presented on the global, European, UK, Italian and Spanish situation in terms of regulation, financial services and privatisation and liberalisation.



Billy Hayes, UNI Post and Logistics World President and CWU General Secretary, spoke about connecting with non-traditional allies in the fight against privatisation in the UK and ultimately the concessions they were able to gain. Jose Sayagues, FSP-UGT, spoke of the need to move from fear to hope and courage in the face of austerity in Europe. Lorenzo Galbiatti, lSLP-CISL, explained how vital banking and financial services have been in maintaining jobs and working conditions in Italy. However, now there is increasing pressure to split the post bank from the postal service, which the union is resisting.



In the afternoon, a panel of experts engaged in dynamic debate about the situation in Portugal where there is a drive to privatize the postal service. Victor Narciso, Secretary General of the SNTCT, spoke about the need to maintain public, universal postal services, a minimum wage for the communications sector and to put a stop to post office closures. Jose Oliveira, International Relations Secretary, highlighted that competition should not be made at the expense of the workers and noted that the union has proposed a sectoral minimum wage.



On 22 March, Portuguese postal workers will participate in a general strike.