SEF inspectors and administrative staff will go on strike for six days over the Easter period due to the way in which the Government intends to transfer workers to other bodies within the scope of the extinction of the SEF.
The Union of Employees of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SINSEF), which includes employees with non-police functions, delivered today the strike notice for 5 and 6 April.
The SEF Research and Inspection Career Union (SCIF/SEF) also issued a notice for a strike between the 6th and 10th of April, coinciding with the Easter period, which could cause disturbances at airports.
At issue is the integration of workers from the Aliens and Borders Service into the Judiciary Police, the Institute of Registries and Notaries (IRN) and the future Portuguese Agency for Migration and Asylum (APMA) within the scope of the restructuring process of that body, whose negotiations unions with the Government on the draft decree-law that regulates the transfer of employees are ongoing.
The union structures are against the way in which the Government intends to transfer workers, considering the union of inspectors that the draft decree-law that regulates the transfer of inspectors from the SEF to the PJ does not guarantee the principle “equal work, equal salary ”.
In advance notice of the strike, the union representing SEF administrative employees regrets “the time that has elapsed since the beginning of this merger process” and that these workers “continue with their future uncertain”, in addition to having expectations of appreciation of your activity and your career.
The president of SINSEF, Artur Girão, told Lusa that the two-day stoppage is related to the way in which “the transfer process is taking place” and the “lack of dignified career”.
“This process is an open question. We still do not understand the criteria for transferring to the IRN”, he explained, noting that the majority of non-police workers at the SEF prefer to be transferred to the APMA and not to the IRN, which will be in charge of renewing the residence permits of immigrants and with the issuance of passports.
With the strike, SINSEF also intends to provide an “effective guarantee of valuing and dignifying the functions of SEF non-police workers in the bodies with which they will merge, namely the APMA” and that within the scope of the new Portuguese Agency for Migration and Asylum “conditions that allow it to exercise its powers” are created.
As part of the SEF restructuring process, which was postponed until the creation of the APMA, the inspectors of this security service will be transferred to the Judiciary Police, while non-police employees to the future agency and IRN.
The restructuring of the SEF will allow inspectors to stay up to two years at air and maritime border posts, which will become the responsibility of the PSP and GNR.
Inspectors currently number around 900 and non-police officers around 700.
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