CCT termination irks Portuguese textile worker unions

At a recent press conference held in the Portuguese city of Guimaraes, the Federation of Trade Unions of the Textile, Wool, Clothing, Footwear and Leather of Portugal (FESETE) stated that in response to the FESETE’s wage increase proposal to ATP for 2014, the ATP proposed to terminate the CCT, which is stealing the rights of the textile and clothing workers in the country.

According to FESETE co-ordinator Manuel Freitas, the ATP’s decision to make Saturday as working day increases the labor hours of textile and clothing workers to 42.5 hours in three shifts, making them working from Monday to Saturday and reduction of salary increase from the current 40% mentioned in the CCT to 25% would result into an annual reduction of €2,850 from their payment.

The ATP’s plan to cut 4 statutory holidays, compensatory rest for overtime, annual reduction of remuneration for overtime on weekdays and holidays, reduction of holidays during carnival festival, 3 bonus vacation days, increase in penalty for unexcused absences and elimination of child support, would cut €141, €113, €457.5, €56, €68, €68 and €537, respectively, from the workers’ annual payment, he added.

The FESETE appealed to workers operating in the textile and clothing industry of the country to express their disapproval of ATP’s decision to terminate the CCT and demand for a fairer distribution of payment in order to increase competitiveness, innovation and production of value-added products in the sector.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India