- Title: PORTUGAL-METRO STRIKE Metro strike frustrates commuters in Lisbon
- Date: 17th December 2014
- Summary: LISBON, PORTUGAL (DECEMBER 17, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING PAST CLOSED METRO STATION VARIOUS OF SIGN, READING (Portuguese): "METRO CLOSED DUE TO STRIKE" VARIOUS OF MAN READING SIGN (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) COMMUTER, AVELINO BESTIAS, SAYING: "This is a continuous situation. There's no solution to solve the problem. Every year it's the same thing. TAP (Transportes Aéreos Portugueses) also goes on strike close to Christmas and the people are the ones who are affected. My son lives in England and wanted to come for Christmas but he isn't coming because of all these strikes." PEOPLE WALKING PAST METRO STATION VARIOUS OF COMMUTERS GETTING ON BUS IN FRONT OF METRO STATION WOMEN WAITING FOR BUS PEOPLE QUEUING AT BUS STOP (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) TRANSPORTS UNION REPRESENTATIVE, PAULO MACHADO, SAYING: "Today, due to the lack of workers, we have insufficient maintenance and this is also what we're fighting against. We're fighting to give a better service to commuters. It's because of this that we're fighting for a better quality service." PEOPLE WALKING PAST METRO STATION (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) COMMUTER, GONCALO, SAYING: "I think it's shameful. People want to go to work and can't. I was caught by surprise, I wasn't aware, and I'll be late. I'm teaching and I'll be late." VARIOUS OF COMMUTERS GETTING ON BUS
- Embargoed: 1st January 2015 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Portugal
- Country: Portugal
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVACNBNN8PWFHZ07GESI9JJMNFQD
- Story Text: Lisbon commuters struggled to get to work on Wednesday (December 17) as metro workers in the Portuguese capital staged a 24-hour strike over what they say are poor working conditions.
Commuter Avelino Bestias said that the number of transport strikes increases when Christmas approaches.
"This is a continuous situation. There's no solution to solve the problem. Every year it's the same thing. TAP (Transportes Aéreos Portugueses) also goes on strike close to Christmas and the people are the ones who are affected. My son lives in England and wanted to come for Christmas but he isn't coming because of all these strikes," he said.
Employees of the airline Transportes Aéreos Portugueses (TAP) have scheduled a strike from December 27 to December 30.
Lisbon's metro services halted as workers protested against the lack of dialogue with their employers and called for better working conditions and more employees.
"Today, due to the lack of workers, we have insufficient maintenance and this is also what we're fighting against. We're fighting to give a better service to commuters. It's because of this that we're fighting for a better quality service," Paulo Machado, a member of the Transports Union, told Reuters.
Commuters said the walkout was badly affecting people who were trying to get to work.
"I think it's shameful. People want to go to work and can't. I was caught by surprise, I wasn't aware, and I'll be late. I'm teaching and I'll be late," said commuter Goncalo, as he tried to find a way to get to work.
Bus company Carris reinforced its service with more buses in an effort to minimise the effects of the strike for commuters.
No minimum services were scheduled for the strike on Wednesday and the metro will be closed again on Monday (December 22). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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