A small but vociferous group of protestors exercised their legal rights in Faro today calling for an end to a wage freeze in much of the Algarve's hotel sector, a freeze that has gone on for several years, in some cases 12 or more.
About three dozen employees in the hotel and tourism industry said they were afraid of being fired but had to protest against a situation that should not be allowed to continue.
"A salary increase now" "Fed up with liars, we want solutions," " We fight for a dignified life" and "Unemployment in Portugal a national disgrace" were some of the slogans today in downtown Faro as the Union’s week of protest started today with a 24 hour strike across the Algarve’s hotel sector along with demands for an increase in wages and compliance with collective bargaining agreements that the Union claims have been ignored.
"I am at this protest to defend the rights that have been stolen in our collective bargaining agreement," said a worker from a Tavira resort.
Angélico Graça, who for 12 years has frozen wages, justified the low turn out of a few dozen at today’s protest on the fact that workers are afraid of being fired, of not having their contracts renewed or simply because the money lost from a day off work to attend the protest would be too high a price to pay.
According to the Union representative the tourism sector in the Algarve has seen a rise in customers, "the number of foreign tourists has greatly increased" and therefore the Union and the worker sees no reason that employers should at least pay a one euro increase per day."
According to the National Statistics Institute, in 2013 Algarve tourism showed positive results compared to 2012 with 3.6% more guests, 3.5% more overnight stays, 4% increase in income and good growth in the number of passengers at Faro International Airport.
"It is a day of struggle for the hospitality industry in the Algarve because workers are fed up with not seeing their wages increased," despite positive results for several years running, concluded Union leader Tiago Jacinto.
Sandrina Lopes working at Quinta do Lago receives €580 net that was frozen five years ago, "It's too little to live on with an unemployed husband and daughter."
