Sao Tome, Nov. 21, 2025 (Lusa) - The police in Sao Tome and Principe have arrested seven employees, including the union leader, during the air traffic controllers' strike that began on Friday in the archipelago, while the company's management guarantees conditions for flights, despite the strike.
The arrests took place in the early hours of the strike and, according to videos posted on social media, targeted some employees who were at their workstations and refused the police's order to leave the premises.
The union leader was arrested, handcuffed on the spot and taken to the police headquarters, while shouting that his arms were being broken. Hours later, images of the union leader on a stretcher in hospital circulated.
One of the employees told the press that the strikers were at their workplaces to perform the minimum services agreed with the company, in accordance with the law, but the police were removing them "by force" from the premises.
"We guaranteed that we would ensure minimum services and to ensure minimum services we had to be there," said Cláudia Rocha.
However, the director-general of the National Airports and Aviation Safety Company (ENASA), António Trindade, accused the strikers of resisting the authorities and vandalism.
"The law does not give them the right to occupy the space as they did, locking the door, not answering calls [...] the law does not give them the right to vandalise the equipment," António Trindade reported.
The director-general of Enasa said that he called the Rapid Intervention Police to the scene and said that the strikers "showed resistance", so "the police had to act, but at no time in front of the Enasa premises were they assaulted".
The accusations were rejected by employee Cláudia Rocha, who assured that "no one did anything" and "no one sabotaged equipment."
On the other hand, ENASA management said that about 15% to 20% of employees did not join the strike and are ensuring the functioning of services, allowing flights to take place.
"The airport is not at a standstill and has not stopped at any time. The airport is continuing its activities as normal," assured António Trindade.
However, employees say that out of a total of around 21 controllers, only three did not join the strike and therefore this number "is not enough" to guarantee services.
"They will work until when [...] we have four shifts a day. It would be inconsistent and totally dangerous [...] an air traffic controller should work eight hours [...] I don't see them covering for very long," said employee Cláudia Rocha.
In a letter sent by SINCTAS to prime minister Américo Ramos on the 11th November, the union expressed its "deep dissatisfaction" with the failure to comply with a memorandum signed with ENASA's management, "which was mediated by the Government".
The union stresses that the memorandum includes, among other points, "the payment of the aeronautical licence allowance, which had been duly authorised" by the prime minister "and subsequently disallowed, yielding to pressure from another union", which they consider "a clear devaluation of institutional dialogue and a breach of trust in the commitments made to air traffic control professionals".
The director of ENASA said today that the company made the commitment "under considerable pressure from the controllers' union," but backed down when they were "surprised by another union" that also demanded the same payment.
"We were really in a mess, at a dead end. So, it's not the nicest thing, but we had to back down to calm things down and create a climate of dialogue," said António Trindade, adding that "ENASA does not have the financial structure to meet all these demands".
On 6th November, ENASA Workers' Union employees held a strike lasting less than 24 hours, which was only suspended after the intervention of the prime minister, who travelled to the site for direct negotiations with the union, opening the door to an agreement with the promise of payment of subsidies to the strikers.
JYAF/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
