In the document, the Portuguese Transport Workers' Union (Sttamp) has issued a strike notice, which covers all national airports, “from 00:00 hours on August 31, 2024, until midnight on September 1, 2024”.

The strike was called against “the existence of base salaries lower than the national minimum wage”, and also protesting against “the systematic use of workers from temporary employment agencies” and “overtime work that does not comply with the legal limits in force”.

The union also refers to the “successive changes to working hours that do not comply with the provisions of the Company Agreement” and “the way in which the voluntary redundancy programme is carried out, under threat of collective dismissal in a company where there are no people to work”.

Sttamp also justified the strike with the fact that “once again, regardless of the reason or origin that weakens the company”, it is always “the workers who foot the bill”.

According to the notice, “workers will ensure the services necessary for the safety and maintenance of equipment and facilities” and “the provision of the minimum services essential to meet essential social needs”.

Sttamp considers that the minimum services in question involve “performing flights necessary to meet critical problems relating to the safety of people and property, including ambulance flights, and emergency flights”.

They also cover government and military flights and ensure that the islands are provided with services that will allow, in the Azores, “the first landing and take-off on the route between the mainland and the region” and in Madeira “the first landing and take-off on the route between the mainland and the region”, as well as “the first landing and take-off on the flight between the islands (Funchal and Porto Santo)”.

Menzies Aviation announced in June that it had completed the acquisition of 50.1% in Groundforce Portugal, more than a year after the announcement of the agreement for the entry of the new shareholder, in March 2023.