A compromise has been reached between some of the syndicates representing unhappy baggage handlers of Groundforce and the government. It means the STHA (the Syndicate of airport handling technicians), SIMA (the syndicate of metallurgy and similar) and SE (economists) have called off the strike scheduled for July 31 to August 2. The ‘deal’ guarantees that Groundforce staff salaries and holiday pay will be covered this month. It also establishes that the ‘shareholding situation’ that has led to such strife will be resolved “very soon” – either by the sale of shares by Montepio bank (to private investors) or via State intervention (including that of TAP, which is already a minority shareholder in Groundforce). Fellow syndicates of STTAMP (the Portuguese syndicate of transport workers) and STAMA (the syndicate of airport maintenance workers) have said they will not ‘deconvene’ the strike until workers have all been paid as promised.
