Angry members of the police union, the Association of Judicial Police Criminal Investigation Workers (ASFIC/PJ), are involved in a pay dispute with the government and are threatening to strike.
The association is contesting internal regulatory guidelines that permit the non-payment of overtime. This has caused considerable dissatisfaction within the force and, in the view of the association, has jeopardised the efficiency of their criminal investigations. Union president Manuel Carneiro Rodrigues has criticised the non-payment of overtime hours, “when it is known that we work more than 24 hours on some shifts”.
The association is now requesting an audience with Prime Minister Durão Barroso after Justice Minister, Celeste Cardona, repeatedly refused to meet the disgruntled officers. However, Cardona has requested that a professor of administrative rights, João Caupers, study a solution to the pay dispute and the problem of overtime. Despite the strike threat from ASFIC/PJ members in Lisbon, a spokesperson for the Portimão Judicial Police contacted by The Resident denied rumours that they were considering action.
