Lisbon, April 15, 2025 (Lusa) - Trade unions representing employees of Portugal's state-owned railways operator, CP - Comboios de Portugal, on Tuesday handed in to the company notice of a strike planned for 7 and 8 May, to press for more generous pay increases and other demands, according to a statement. In the statement, released by Fectrans - the Federation of Transport and Communications Unions, the unions announce that the strike is to take place between midnight on 6 May and midnight on 8 May. The unions explained that the strike was called "against the imposition of wage increases that do not restore purchasing power" and for "collective bargaining for decent wage increases." The workers also want the "implementation of the agreement to restructure the pay scales, in the terms in which it was negotiated and agreed." In the statement, the organisations stressed that "today a letter was also sent to the ministers of Infrastructure and Finance, signed by all the trade union organisations", which presents several demands to the government. They want the executive "to instruct CP's management to comply with the exceptional measures contained in the final report agreed with the unions and which, according to the management itself, has already been sent to the ministry that oversees the company", emphasising that "this document is a joint commitment and cannot be changed unilaterally." The unions also demand "clear guidelines to be given so that the management goes beyond the values it has decided to impose by act of management and seriously analyses the counter-proposals of the TSOs [workers" representative organisations], otherwise the instability in the company will worsen even more. "CP doesn't exist without workers," the statement continues. "And what's at stake today is its future sustainability. If the government doesn't move forward with concrete measures to enhance railway careers - particularly in terms of salaries, working conditions and investment in the necessary resources - it will be jeopardising the company's future and putting the provision of an essential service to the country at risk, as was proven during the pandemic." In the meantime, the unions added, they have received "a call from CP's management for a meeting on 17 April [Thursday], starting at 3 p.m." and they express the hope that "those responsible for the company will present concrete proposals that respond to the problems that are at the root of this labour conflict." The notice was issued by the Trade Union Association of Intermediate Railway Managers (ASCEF), the Independent Trade Union Association of Commercial Railwaymen (ASSIFECO), the Federation of Transport and Communications Trade Unions (FECTRANS), the National Union of Transport, Communications and Public Works (FENTCOP), the National Union of Railway Workers of the Movement and Similar (SINAFE), the National Democratic Railway Union (SINDEFER) and the Independent Union of Railway Workers of Infrastructure and Similar (SINFA), wih signatories also including the National Independent Union of Railway Workers (SINFB), the National Union of Transport and Industry Workers (SINTTI), the Independent Union of Railway and Related Workers (SIOFA), the National Union of Technical Staff (SNAQ), the National Union of Railway Workers (SNTSF), the Railway Transport Union (STF) and the Union of Metro and Railway Workers (STMEFE).. ALN/ARO // ARO. Lusa